Love, Hate and Jealousy
by TomiSama04
Summary: Another 'The ship didn't come' fic. Jack lets Ralph live, and Roger gets angry. Slash. [JackxRalph][RogerxEric][MauricexRobert]
1. A successful hunt

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. And this ideas been done a thousand times before, but I guess I had to do it too. So sorry.

"Bind him!" Jack's voice was a strange mix between excitement and terror. But Ralph couldn't figure out why Jack sounded scared.

Roger quickly ran forward with vines. He'd been waiting for a long time to do this. He forced Ralph onto his stomach, the sand going into his fresh wounds and he whimpered. Roger put his knees on either side of Ralph's waste, and sat on the small of his back. He took each of Ralph's hands and bound them together behind his back. Roger started to stand, but at the last second he forced Ralph's head down, suffocating him, and getting his mouth and nose full of sand.

Ralph choked, trying to roll over onto his stomach. Roger forced him to stay on his stomach, as he faced the other way. He quickly bound Ralph's legs together, so even if he got up, taking a step would force him back down.

Jack cleared his throat to say something, but Roger didn't stop. He stood up, and forced Ralph's feet up to his hands, binding all of his limbs together in a hog tie. He stood up and whipped some sweat from his brow, taking off some of the blood that had been caked upon there.

Jack looked down at his trophy who was no longer was struggling, but looked furious at being treated in such a way. Roger looked at Jack, wanting praise, but praise didn't come. It never came when Ralph was around.

"Go now. Fetch a stick, a large one, so we can carry him back to Castle Rock." Jack squatted down beside Ralph, running his hand along the boy's sweaty spine. Roger frowned, but soon shoed the hunters off, and left himself. Roger knew the Chief wanted time with his prize.

"So what's it like, Ralphie?" Jack's hand slid back up Ralph's spine as he gripped at the back of Ralph's neck. "Bound and gagged?" He gripped Ralph's neck harder, fingers digging in.

Ralph choked and moved his head from side to side, franticly, trying to get Jack to let go. Jack snickered and rolled the shorter boy onto his side, looking at his front. He ran his fingers close to the scrapes and bloody chunks of sand sticking out of them, an attempt to clean them out.

Ralph winced. "What are you doing?"

"Can't have you die, can I?" Jack flashed Ralph a grin. Again, Jack sounded torn in two. Half of his voice was in a bloodlust. Jack wanted to hurt Ralph. Half seemed that he truly didn't want to have Ralph killed. Killed or hurt.

Ralph's breathing got shallower, as his eyes began to close. His adrenalin was wearing out, and soon he wouldn't be conscious at all. Jack grinned again, humming a lullaby. It wasn't very comforting. His once c sharp voice had gotten raspier and any sound Jack made resembled a battle cry.

Jack was stroking Ralph's fair hair when Roger returned with some other boys. Roger frowned at first, but seeing the wild glint in Jack's eye, he knew there was another reason for showing affection to him. "Got the stick, Chief." Roger said.

"Great." Jack mumbled idly as he stood up, and finally broke his gaze from the sleeping Ralph. His words weren't praising Roger. Jack was just glad to have the stick. "Wonderful. Give it to me."

Roger handed over the large stick and Jack slid it between Ralph's legs and arms, making a way to carry him back with. "Be gentle with him. Samneric you take that side, me and Roger'll take this side." He lifted the stick with Ralph onto his shoulder, as did the other three boys. Their heights didn't match. The taller two were in front, so Ralph's stomach grazed some rocks some times. He'd give a slight moan every time that happened.

Every time Jack grinned.

Once they deposited Ralph in Jack's cave, the four boys went out to the others. As soon as Samneric and Roger had sat down before him, Jack raised his arms in triumph and all the other boys cheered wildly. It was a great and successful hunt.

"First!" Jack yelled as the cheering died down. "None of you are to see or touch the prisoner. He is still dangerous. He needs time to be molded into one of us. I take that as my burden!"

At first, nothing happened. But after a hard look to the group, Maurice yelled out. "Our Chief's the noblest man alive! He's always looking out to make our lives easier." Another loud cheer went up, and Jack grinned in acceptance to the comment.

He put his hands in the air, demanding silence. "Do make myself clear though? He's dangerous. Do _not_ go near him or talk to him without my permission."

Heads bobbed and Samneric looked at each other with worried glances, and Roger shot them both a look as if to say, 'do not dare defy the chief.'

As Jack watched Roger's glance he grinned and said, "And if you defy me you will have to answer to Roger." Roger sat up taller at being acknowledged. With his back straightening, many of the people near him looked away and scooted silently from him. Jack grinned at his second-in-command.

The wind blew and Jack's red hair spun around him like a lion's main in the breeze. "Eric and Roger, you two make a hunting party and go out hunting. Sam and Henry, stay here."

Samneric looked at each other. They were being forced apart by their leader. Sam didn't know what to do at first. One can't defy their chief, and maybe he was going to let him see Ralph. Sam walked forward, Henry at his side, and stood to face Roger and Eric. Roger was quickly assembling a hunting team and freshening their masks.

Eric looked from Sam to Roger. Sure, Sam had to stay with the Chief and that probably meant he was in trouble. But Eric had to go with Roger. Being with Roger was like being locked into a cage, starving, while someone dangled meat in front of you. Especially for Eric. Roger took Eric's hair and pulled him closer, whispering something in his ear. Jack didn't seem to care. He turned around and looked into his cave where Ralph slept. Soon Roger and Eric, whom was near tears, led the boys to go hunting.

"Come with me." Jack said as he walked into the cave. There was a fire going on the inside, and they could see Ralph's figure in the shadows. They were surprised, however, to see that every vine was untied.

Jack looked down at the body, and said nothing. Sam looked at his Chief, trying to decide what he was thinking. His face showed two sides. A look between anger and hatred, complete loathing, worry and concern was shown. "What's wrong with him?"

Henry looked surprised at this question but kneeled down next to Ralph. His chest looked bad with the sand in it and ran his fingers over one of the cuts. Jack made an uneasy, angry movement, and Henry stood up. "I think he's just tired, sir."

Sam nodded. "Tired from the chase."

Henry nodded too. "Do you want us to clean him up for you?"

Jack scowled. "What's that suppose to mean?" He held his hand back, ready to hit the boy.

Henry shook his head and backed away, holding his hands up in front of him. "No-Nothing, sir. I just thought you wanted him to get better."

"Why would I want him to get better?" Jack said angrily.

"I… I dunno."

Jack started to calm down, and looked at Ralph, who stirred with the yelling. "No. Don't bother. Get out. Now! Go start a fire for the feast."

Both boys nodded and rushed out before Jack could yell again.

Jack looked at Ralph, and collapsed on the floor next to him when the other two got out. "We didn't wound you bad." Jack said, quietly, pushing Ralph's hair from his eyes. "It hurt, I bet. But it was Roger that got the sand in your wounds. Remember that, Ralph. It was never me." Jack brushed some sand from one of the wounds, causing Ralph to wince.

"What happens when you wake up?" Jack said out loud, though talking to himself. "You won't believe me. I told Roger to bind you. You'll always hate me, Ralph."

Jack sighed and moved away from the smaller boy, his knees coming to his chest and he put his head down. "I'm scared, Ralph."

Jack was quite for a long time. He didn't want to talk to Ralph anymore. He didn't want to look at Ralph. Ralph was the enemy. He always had been and he always will be. Finally, he was given time away, when Roger poked his head into the cave. "Chief? We got the pig."

Roger looked around. Jack looked sad, and this angered Roger. Roger always tried to do things to make Jack happy, for as long as he could remember. Ralph was always screwing that up.

"Great." Jack said again and he stood up and walked over to Roger. As soon as he was out of the cave, his sadness flew away. He was cheering around the pig carcass like the rest of them. He cheered and he looked happy. When the pig was done, he cut off his piece, a piece twice as large as he normally got, and walked back to his cave. The closer he came to the cave. The more worried he looked.

Roger didn't join in with the dancing and cheering. He never did but he always watched. He noticed the change the Chief had made from in there, to out here, and going back to the cave. He knew it was Ralph that was feeding off of Jack. Ralph was making his Chief unhappy. Something had to be done.

(NA: Okay. Well I don't know what I should do from here. So suggestions and such would be a whole lot of help.)


	2. Bathing and Talking

Ralph awoke in pain. Somehow, he'd managed to roll over onto his stomach in the night, and lay on his wounds. He winced as he sat up. His eyes scanned the cave, at first not remembering where he was or why he wasn't dead.

Ralph held his head in his hands, bringing his knees to his chest. That's right. The hunters had beaten him. He'd lost.

Ralph was running through the island when he fell onto the beach. He twisted so he'd land on his back, but as soon as he was able to look up, Jack was looking down at him, grinning, with a spear to Ralph's heart. Ralph breathed heavily and closed his eyes in defeat. He waited. He waited minutes that felt like days for Jack's spear to ram through his chest.

Though he only got a couple of scratches. He couldn't even be sure Jack made those, as he thought back on it. Jack's spear was at his chest the entire time he felt the pressure and had a bruise there today, but it didn't break the skin.

'Oh yeah.' Ralph thought. 'From running through the forest… sharp twigs got me, I bet.'

A sudden noise in the corner threw Ralph back into the cave. Ralph looked up. He hadn't noticed the figure before. A body was stirring across from him, waking up. Did Jack have more prisoners? Ralph crawled closer, trying to see who it was. He didn't need to move far to see the red hair. It was Jack.

Ralph grinned. Jack was curled onto a ball on a bed made of leaves and pigs skin. He'd wiped off most of the mask with his arm, which looked funny. His breathing was slow and steady, but looking at his eyes, Ralph could tell he was dreaming.

With his guard sleeping, maybe he could make a run for it…

Ralph crawled to the front of the cave and moved the skin away to look out. Sam was starting a fire, Eric was sitting back, farther, with his back against a tree and his head held in his hands, and Roger stood over him, sharpening his stick that was sharpened on both ends. Every so often, he would prod Eric with the bottom with it. Roger never drew blood, but it always made Eric flinch.

Suddenly Roger let his knees go and slid down the tree next to Eric. Ralph could see Eric's body tense, but he didn't cry out. Sam went on without know. Roger grinned, feeling the body next to him shiver and he moved closer. Eric's eyes closed tighter and tried to stay where he was. Eric was trying not to move.

Roger took Eric's chin in his hand and turned is face, and said something in his ear, which made Eric stand up, give a small bow, and leave.

Roger went on, smugly, sharpening his stick.

There was no way Ralph could make it past Roger… Roger had radar for people sneaking away. So Ralph started to crawl back into the cave.

"What are you doing?"

Ralph looked up and saw Jack looking down at him. He didn't look angry. Mostly tired, Ralph thought. Jack grinned. "I see you're on your knees before me."

Ralph quickly stood up, getting a head rush. He moved his arms around like he was about to pass out, and Jack grabbed his arm, holding him up. "You gotta clean that off." Jack's voice was quiet and he walked out of the cave with Ralph's arm clenched in his hand.

Roger looked up once the two got outside. Ralph was protesting, trying to tell Jack that he could, in fact, walk on his own, but Jack just grinned and continued to drag Ralph by his arm.

Roger scowled.

"Where are we going, Jack?" 'Oh this is it!' Ralph thought. 'Finally! The final blow. I can be safe. I can go home. I can be with Simon and Piggy!'

Jack grinned. "We're going to wash you up, of course!"

Ralph looked confused. "Well… Doesn't your chest hurt?" Jack looked back at Ralph and Ralph nodded slowly. "Well you gotta get the sand out of it."

"Sand wouldn't be in it at all if it wasn't for y-"

"Roger." Jack interrupted. "You were on your back. It was Roger who rolled you on your stomach."

"Under who's command?" Ralph pulled his arm out of Jack's grasp, now that nobody was around to see. Jack looked back at Ralph, sighing. He'd expected this. Jack waited for Ralph to yell, to fight, to try and escape. But it his amazement, Ralph just sighed and walked toward the nearest body of water.

Neither boy spoke as they walked. Finally, they got to the stream. Jack started to wade out into it, but Ralph stayed at the edge. "What?" Jack asked.

"Why'd you bring me down here?" Ralph asked again.

"I told you already." Jack said, going under. When he came back up, he put his hair behind his ears and spit water at Ralph. "You gotta get the sand out or you might get an infection."

Ralph frowned and started to wade in; he was into his hips when he said. "Why do you care?"

Jack shrugged and came closer to Ralph, splashing water on his chest, trying to get the sand out, but not on his face to annoy him.

Ralph sat down, so the water was at his neck. Jack looked down at Ralph for a minute, before he sat down too.

Jack started to run his hands across Ralph's chest, trying to clean off the wounds. He was surprised when Ralph didn't push him away. Suddenly he heard a voice from behind him say. "Secret bathing sessions?"

Jack looked and saw that Ralph was surprised by the voice. Roger stood, leaning with his back against a tree, eating a piece of fruit.

"What's it to ya?" Jack asked.

Roger grinned. "'s nothing to me. I wanted to see if the prisoner was putting up a fuss. He put up a fight as you were leaving camp, ya know."

Jack frowned. "He's not anymore."

Roger took another bite to hide his grin. "Some _slaves_ tend to think they're not slaves, you know, Chief. Not mine, 'course. I taught mine real good." Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Next time, you might think about who you make your plaything out of." He shot a look at a bewildered Ralph before he turned and walked off, tossing the fruit behind him.

Jack muttered some angry things that Ralph couldn't hear, as he washed the clay off of his arms and face.

"That's why you're keeping me alive?" Ralph asked, sounding confused.

"Wha?" Jack said, looking at the smaller boy.

"I'm just your slave?"

"Don't listen to what Roger says." Jack kept washing himself, even though he was clean enough.

"Well am I?" Ralph demanded, standing up angrily.

Jack laughed and stood up. "Do you want to be?"

"No." Ralph said truthfully. "Well am I just your pet… your little plaything?"

Jack laughed harder. "You'd rather be my plaything?"

Ralph sighed and said. "I'd rather be your equal. I'd rather be your chief."

"Well, Ralphie. That's not going to happen any time soon." Jack giggled. Ralph frowned.

"So what am I?"

"Whatever you want to be."

Ralph didn't answer. Jack was only playing mind games. He was a pet, a slave, to Jack. But Roger had a pet too.

"Who's Roger's pet?" Ralph asked.

Jack shrugged. "He's got lots of them, I bet. People are so scared of that he could do if they protested, they let him do things."

Both boys were quiet for a few minutes before Ralph said. "Are you Roger's pet?"

Jack blushed a shade deeper than his hair. "No! Of course I'm not! I'm his Chief. I'm his superior"

Ralph laughed. "Oh. So he's _your_ pet."

"He's not either! Me and Roger… we're not like that."

"Oh really?" Ralph giggled.

"Don't talk to me like that, or I'll give you to Roger. Let you find out what it's like to be his pet."

"Or you could just tell me." Ralph grinned again.

"Don't talk to me like that. I'm your chief. Never talk to me like that again!" Jack looked really angry, and still Ralph couldn't smile at the look. Jack looked so frustrated…

Jack stood up and shook his head like a dog, getting water off him. "Get up. We're leaving."

"What if I don't want to?"

"I'm your chief and you'll do as I say!" Jack grabbed Ralph's hair and pulled him from the water. Ralph gasped and stood up. Jack let go and stormed off.

For some reason, a reason Ralph couldn't understand, he followed Jack without force. There was something about the way Jack was acting, talking, that made him… like Jack. He liked to pick on Jack. He liked when Jack touched him.

'No.' Ralph thought. 'No it can't be. I can't like Jack.'

But as he walked Jack calm down in front of him, watching how his muscles moved with the skill of a hunter, he couldn't believe he never noticed before.

'But Jack. Jack's not like that.' Ralph thought suddenly. But then he thought of how mad he'd gotten when he accused him of Roger as being playthings. He looked embarrassed. Were Jack and Roger more than just a Chief and his second in command?

(NA: Well this is gunna be kinda long I guess. I wanna thank Moi, Ruki, and All Apologies for giving me ideas. I'll use those ideas and anymore that anyone else gives me. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, and if you review, I'll probably get motivated and put it up faster. wink wink -Tomi Sama)


	3. Separating the Twins

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything. I want to thank all of you guys again. Moi, Ruki and All Apologies. This one's more about Roger and Eric and I'm sorry if I throw Roger out of character, it's just… I really wanted to SHOW what was going on inside him… so sorry.

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There were some things happening on the island. Things that very few of the boys were starting to know about. First, there was something up with Jack.

As Jack started to walk to Castle Rock, he started thinking about what Ralph had said about Roger. Was Roger his little plaything? Sure, whenever Jack told Roger to do something, it got done regardless of what Roger wanted. But to be a plaything, wouldn't something else be involved. Kissing and such?

Jack thought about kissing Roger. First he got disturbed. Roger wouldn't stay submissive if he was thrown something as primal as lust. He would want to dominate Jack. Jack wanted to stay in control. He turned around and looked at Ralph.

At that moment, Ralph was pushing hair out of his face, looking down at Jack's feet. Jack quickly turned around. Ralph would put up a fight for dominance, too. But there was something about the _way_ that Ralph would fight that made it all seemed different. Ralph wouldn't kill for power. In the end, Ralph could maybe be happy being Jack's friend.

There was also something going on inside Eric. The twins, ask any boy on the island, were almost inseparable. They often finished each others sentences and if the two were on a team in a hunting game, they always knew where the other one would be and where to aim. They were really unstoppable.

Then Roger got between them.

But even Roger didn't know all of it.

Eric was told, by Roger, to get bones, seashells, vines, anything that could be used to make a necklace. Not just any necklace. A necklace fit for the Chief. Eric couldn't think of why Roger would want to make something for the Chief. (Eric knew that Roger wanted to make it himself, or he would have told Eric to make it once he found the material.) The more Eric thought, as he gathered obediently, the more he thought that it must be because without Jack in power Roger would get punished for everything he's done wrong.

Roger would get punished for killing Piggy. He would get punished for yelling at Sam, threatening him, so Sam would tell Roger where Ralph was hiding.

'But you saved Sam.' A voice inside Eric's head said. 'You saved Sam from Roger, and looked where it got you.'

Eric shrugged the voice away. Sam was safe and Roger wouldn't hurt Sam ever again. Unless Eric did something wrong. Something that would show Roger that Sam deserved it.

But Eric wouldn't disobey Roger, not for anybody. Not knowing what Roger was capable of.

Eric finished gathering as he walked up to where he use to be sitting, by Sam, the fire and Roger. However, when he reached the top, Roger wasn't there. Eric stepped forward.

"Hiya." Sam said, without looking up. Eric looked down and Sam seemed really sad. "How are you, Eric?"

" 'm fine, Sam." Eric said. His voice sounding annoyed as he looked around for Roger. Where did he go?

"Who're you looking for?" Sam asked quietly.

"R-" Eric started truthfully, but he thought better of it. What would Sam say if he knew he was out looking for Roger? "Ralph. Ralph and the Chief. Are they back yet?"

Sam shook his head, and made a slight sniffle. Eric ignored it and started to walk down the other side of the mountain. If Roger went anywhere, it would be to ask Jack something or talk to Ralph.

Soon, though, when he was just out of ear and eye shot from his twin, he saw Jack and Ralph. Jack looked like he'd been thinking a lot and Ralph looked like he'd done something bad. Ralph looked like he knew he was going to get punished.

Jack nodded his head to Eric, seeing him walk past, but nobody said anything. Jack wasn't sure which twin it was, Ralph felt like he wasn't allowed to talk, and Eric didn't want to accidentally spoil what Roger was planning on making for the Chief.

Eric walked toward the stream. Maybe Roger was getting a drink or something. He walked a little closer, when he heard a strange noise. It was like sobbing, but really pained. Whoever this was must have been really hurt, or being tortured. Eric smiled on the inside. Roger must have a littlun.

However, he couldn't see them. He knew it was coming from inside some thick trees and bushes, hiding whoever was inside. Eric snuck around front, like a practiced hunter, trying to catch whoever this was. He knew by the sound that this person didn't want to be found.

He couldn't see the face. All he could see was a human curled up, knees to their chest, arms wrapped around their legs, with their head down. When Eric looked down, he knew who this was. This person had a stick lying next to them that was sharpened at both ends.

"Roger?" Eric squeaked, surprised, almost dropping his shells, vines and bones

At hearing his name, Roger looked up, surprised was the dominate emotion on his face for a few seconds. Roger had lines under his eyes, where his paint should have been, but the tears washed away. His whole body looked tired, and there were something about his eyes. The eyes that were always dark, the eyes that always made Eric want to die. Those eyes seemed sad, scared, and alone.

Roger blushed for a second, embarrassed, and quickly wiped his eyes and face on his arm, almost all of the paint was gone.

"R-Roger?" Eric squeaked again. Eric pushed away some of the branches and sat down on his knees across form Roger, who tried hard to look aggressive.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" Even Roger's voice didn't seem threatening. He put his head down on his arms again, and Eric stayed.

"Roger, what's wrong?" Eric asked, putting his hand on Roger's bare shoulder.

Roger must have felt an electric shock run through Eric's fingers, because he jumped, looked at Eric angrily and said. "Don't touch me!"

Eric let his hand slide off Roger's shoulder, but he stayed there, watching Roger as he looked back at Eric. For a second, Eric understood. Roger was just a human with human needs. Roger was just like him. Something hurt Roger, and it was up to Eric to make him feel better.

"I got you this stuff." Eric smiled gently and held out his hands as he moved over, leaning his back to the tree too, and sat next to Roger.

Roger gave a small smile, and he tried to hide it by wiping away what was left of his mask. He stretched his legs out and sat the stuff in Eric's hands in his lap. "Let's make some necklaces."

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Jack led Ralph up to his cave. Ralph looked at Sam, sitting sadly by the fire. Jack quickly put his hand on Ralph's bare chest and pushed Ralph into the dark cave, holding the pigskin door open for him.

Ralph lost his balance and fell, scraping his elbows. Ralph frowned at Jack, but Jack just gave Ralph a tired look.

Jack turned to walk away but hearing Ralph whisper, "Hey, Jack?" he turned around and walked in. He let the door fall behind him, so they were secluded in the cave with a small fire in the center. He expected Ralph to go at him again, talk about how Roger was his plaything. Jack didn't want to talk about it. He wanted time to think.

"Why do you keep splitting up the twins?"

Jack was shocked. Not because the question was hard, or anything, but because it was something he totally didn't expect. As he thought about it, he was confused for a second, so he turned around and peaked out the door. Sam still sat looking like he was missing half his soul.

"I haven't given anyone any orders today. Wherever Eric went, he wanted to go."

Ralph nodded. It made sense. Jack was with him all day, and he knew he didn't tell anyone to do anything.

"So where do you suppose Eric went."

"I don't know." Jack looked back to Ralph, who was looking back at him. Ralph had stood back up and was only a few inches away from Jack. Jack frowned and pushed Ralph back again, he hit the back wall, but not had enough to hurt or even for him to lose his balance and fall down. "Don't give me that look!"

"What look?" Ralph asked, frowning slightly.

"That, 'you're the chief and you should know where everyone is and what they're doing at all times' look!" Jack looked angry.

Ralph just smiled. "You're just paranoid."

Jack growled but the fight in his eyes was out. He leaned against the wall that Ralph was leaning on and let himself slide down to the floor. He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them. Ralph sat down next to him.

Jack sighed. "What if there's a revolt, Ralph?"

Ralph looked surprised. He wasn't expecting their conversation to lead to this, so he just smiled and said. "There won't be."

"But what if…" Jack started but Ralph put his hand over Jack's mouth.

"Who'd start it, Jack? I think I would be the only one who'd want to and I'm not starting anything… so who?"

Ralph felt Jack smile against his mouth so he moved his hand, blushing softly.

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"So why were you cr-" Eric looked at Roger, who threw him a testy glance. "Upset, earlier?"

Roger sighed and threaded another shell through the vine. He was almost done and he thought Jack would like it. Beside him, Eric was making one too, but he didn't know if that was only because he felt the need to do it too, or if he was making it for someone like he was. "Jack."

"The Chief?" Eric looked confused. "Wha'd he do?"

"Nothing." Roger instantly regretted admitting it. "Just heard something he said to Ralph 'n it made me upset s'all." Roger replayed that moment in his mind. 'Me and Roger… we're not like that.' That's what Jack'd said. 'We're not like that.' Roger thought. 'Maybe you're not… but I am…'

Eric nodded. He knew Roger was admitting something, he just didn't know what it was. He decided that what he had with Roger, right now, in this moment, was good. He wouldn't trade it for anything.

"Have you ever felt like that?" Roger asked, quietly. "Like stabbed through the heart with a double sided spear."

Eric looked down, he had a lot of spear wounds on him. "You… well… The spears never go all the way through."

Roger looked at Eric's chest and all the wounds he'd caused. Mostly bruises, but on some days when Roger was extra violent, he'd been known to let it out on Eric. Eric knew he wouldn't apologize, and he didn't want him too. He wore the wounds well.

"But you know what I mean…"

"Yeah. I know." Eric said sadly, looking back up at Roger.

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(NA: Whoa. The love triangle has seemed to turn into an unclosed square! Muahaha. Sorry about Roger, again. I know that like… I made him too open with Eric but I just had to get that across. The fact that Roger reeeeally cares about what Jack thinks. And that Eric really secretly wants Roger to like him. So the next chapter will probably come soon too, as the night is young and with people commenting it makes me feel like I'm useful for once. XD So… keep reviewing and I'll try to make Roger more sadistic again next time.)


	4. Face Paint

Disclaimer: I don't own anything still. I want to thank everyone who've left comments, they mean the world to me, and I'd also like to thank some people from school who were reading this secretly, behind my back. XD Manda, firstly, cause I like it when she reads my stories. And John, secondly, who's pretty much my own personal Roger. So keep commenting.

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Jack felt older. When they all first got to the island, Jack had been thirteen. He was only a few months older than Ralph. He knew, (from talking to Ralph when they first crashed on the island) that Ralph's birthday would have been in about a month. With the responsibility of leadership, Ralph had forgotten. Birthdays were never important on the island. But Jack wouldn't forget his.

Jack would guess they'd been on the island for about half a year. Surely that would be enough time for him to turn fourteen. Besides, he was always making the decisions for the boys on the island. That was hard work. He deserved to have another year added on. So he decided to throw himself a birthday party.

He walked outside and was surprised to see most of the boys sitting out there, waiting for him. Ralph stayed in the cave, but peaked out at the boys, watching.

Jack cleared his throat and many of the boys seemed to cower from the sound, as they stared up at their leader, "We're having a party tonight… a party in my honor."

Jack paused, waiting for something when Maurice called out. "What a great idea! The Chief deserves a party!"

Jack grinned as all the boys erupted into applause and cheer. He held up his hand for silence. "I declare this, the day of my fourteenth year, an island holiday."

Again, the boys applauded. Ralph grinned. Jack definitely had a way with the people. "So." Jack said, looking at no one boy, but all the boys at once. "So we're going out hunting, in one hour. Everyone get your paint on!"

The hunters ran off to get their clay as Jack went back inside. Ralph backed away so that Jack wouldn't trip. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Jack asked.

Ralph just noticed he'd been grinning. "No reason."

"Tell me."

"It's nothing, Jack."

"As your chief, I command you to tell me." Jack was grinning, but Ralph could tell by his eyes that he wasn't going to hurt him if he refused, but Ralph grinned.

"You have a way with words."

Jack frowned and sat, pulling three coconuts over to him. "What do you mean?"

Ralph sat across from him, and looked into Jack's private stash of war paint. "They listen to you. They like you. They never liked me."

Jack laughed as he dipped his hand into the white paint. "That's just 'cause you talk too much… and you had too many rules." Jack reached out his hand and put some of the clay on Ralph's cheek, playfully, laughing.

Ralph laughed back. "Do you want help with that?"

"You know how I put it on, right?"

"I couldn't forget that mask. It haunts my dreams." Ralph laughed, but it was true. How many nights, he wondered. How many nights had he woken up in a cold sweat from a dream of that mask staring down at him, stabbing him, cutting him to tiny bits and throwing them into the ocean to be eaten by the sharks?

Jack didn't laugh. He just said, "You can help… if you make it how I like it."

So Ralph dipped his hand into the white. He ran his fingers across Jack's cheek and slowly Jack closed his eyes. Ralph painted a circle, (a little larger than Jack usually makes it) in white. Then he wiped of his hand on his own leg and put it in the red. As he put on the red, he could feel Jack moving under his touch. Something inside of Jack was changing. Suddenly Ralph wondered if volunteering to make Jack a savage was the smartest thing to do.

As he reached for the black, Jack's eyes opened and grabbed Ralph's wrist. "I was thinking, Ralph. You should come with us. It'd be fun, you know… to teach you how to hunt. Then you'd really be accepted. Nobody would even remember the hunt or our deal…"

Ralph shook his head as soon as Jack suggested it. "I'll stay here and keep the fire going for you."

"But Ralph… you could be a great hunter."

"I'm not like them. I won't give in."

Jack frowned, but closed his eyes and he let go of Ralph's wrist so he could finish with the black streak across his face; going from one side to the other, in a diagonal, cutting through both parts.

Jack opened his eyes, and Ralph looked into them expecting a cold, hungry savage. But those eyes were still Jack's. He only looked different. Jack grinned. "Wha'cha lookin' at, Ralphie?"

Ralph grinned back. "Nothing much."

----------

Roger painted his own face, and unlike Jack's, his changed almost every time. In the beginning, he'd used all three colors, but white didn't appeal to him anymore. He traced his eyes in black, and from the farthest part of his eyes, he drew lines going to his chin. Then he added red to the inside and outside of the line, and put a straight line from his hairline, down his nose, and over his mouth in red too.

Roger always finished first, and he stood up, looking at the other boys. All of the hunter's faces were different, but it didn't matter. When they got into a group, only one thing mattered. The pig must die. Roger grinned. There was something so enjoyable about killing a little piggy. Piggies of all sorts should be dead. He giggled to himself, thinking about the rock and the fat kid.

It wasn't a matter of deserving anything. He didn't care if Piggy deserved death or not. The point was: Piggy was threatening Jack's power. Nobody did that. Everyone knew better now, though it was sad, Roger thought. It saddened him that nobody would step out against Jack. What was he going to do if Jack had no enemies for him to kill?

He looked at Eric, who was still fixing his to get it perfect. Eric was the boy closest to him, and Sam was closest to Eric, though a few feet apart. 'If I just… let it slip.' Roger thought as his grip on his spear got tighter. 'If Eric just _falls._'

Eric was still kneeling and nobody was watching Roger anyway. If he did it quick, nobody would know. It would be an accident. A horrible accident… like Simon. Roger felt himself giggle again. Simon, Simon, Simon. He could think all day about him. There wasn't a boy on the island more different than Roger than Simon. But it didn't matter. Simon was dead. He threatened Jack too.

Who else could threaten Jack?

"Do you think Ralph's coming with us?"

'That's who.' Roger thought; he was quickly violent.

The voice didn't matter to Roger, it was Eric that got the hit. He pounced. Eric was surprised, and even through his mask he was blushing.

"R-Roger?"

"What'd you just say?" Roger quickly had him pinned to the ground, helpless, like always. Roger's hands were on Eric's shoulders, knowing Eric wouldn't fight back. "What did you say?"

Roger's eyes were furious. Suddenly Eric cried out, not loudly, but a soft whimper and he shut his eyes. Roger's fingers had broken Eric's skin. The nails were digging into him, ripping, slowly.

"I… I didn't say anything R-Roger." Eric said, trying to hold back from crying as Roger's fingers worked deeper.

"I said, 'I wonder if Ralph's going with is.' Is that what you thought Eric said, Roger?" That was Sam. Roger looked up at the other twin, a beaten free twin. Roger growled and stood up. Eric sighed, but laid there, letting his body relax.

"No. Ralph's not coming. Ralph can't hunt." Roger's voice was full of anger, the boys couldn't figure out why.

"Well I just thought… Jack seems…"

"Jack nothing! Ralph's not going. He wouldn't go if asked." Roger spat and turned and walked away. It wasn't until he sat down, and started to calm himself down that he saw Eric's blood, wet and dripping, on his fingers. He shrugged and started to decorate his own chest with it.

----------

The hunters were back before the hour was done. Jack had stepped out of the cave to address them, and he pulled Ralph out with him. "Ralph shall stay behind and start the fire, so we can have the feast as soon as we return with the pig."

The hunters cheered; all of them but Roger.

Jack let Ralph slink back to the cave wall. This was like a nightmare for him. All the hunters were freshly painted, with sharp spears. All of the spears looked merciless, but none looked more so than the famous double pointed spire that Roger held so tightly his knuckles were turning white. Ralph shivered and closed his eyes. 'It's just a bad dream.'

"Well? Let's go!" The boys took off swiftly, but very quietly. Ralph was surprised to see he was all alone.

Sam's fire had burnt out. Ralph tried desperately to start a fire from what there was, but it was impossible. There weren't any embers.

Ralph sighed as he looked up. He knew were they kept Piggy's specs, but he didn't want to use them. He wanted Piggy's spirit to be… free. If they constantly used what was Piggy's, he'd never be able to rest quietly.

But if he didn't have a fire going, Jack wouldn't be able to save him from the hunters' fury. Ralph sighed again as he stood up and grabbed Piggy's glasses from inside Jack's cave. He closed his eyes as he started the fire, wishing that Piggy was safe. He wished Piggy was home, with his auntie, talking, because he couldn't do anything else with his ass-mar.

The fire started, and once he put Piggy's specs back, Ralph felt better. Piggy would have liked it if he was help on the island. And he still was.

Ralph sat quietly, by the fire, for a long time, just thinking. The fire had gotten to a nice cooking level, so the hunters would be happy. It was also keeping him warm as the sun began to fade and the dusk air blew in. It was peaceful, sitting here by himself, thinking. He thought about Simon and Piggy, but he quickly moved his thoughts along. He didn't want to be sad right now.

He thought of Jack and how his eyes seemed the same, even in his war paint and how regardless of what Jack looked like, there was something inside Ralph that was glad Jack kept him alive. Something that wanted to _thank_ Jack for keeping him alive. He thought about what Jack had said. Did Ralph want to be Jack's plaything?

Ralph blushed softly, but smiled. "It wouldn't be so bad."

Suddenly a cry knocked him back into reality. The cry sounded like it came from halfway across the island, but it was carried lightly over the air, like a song. He couldn't pick out anyone's voice but Jack's. Jack's soared above the rest. They'd caught the pig.

Ralph smiled and closed his eyes. They all sounded so happy, the hunters. They had something to celebrate. It was their chief's "birthday." It was Jack's fourteenth year. And that made Ralph thirteen. When they landed on the island, Ralph wished they'd get rescued by his birthday. His birthday was one month, one week and three days from the day they crashed.

Jack's birthday was a few months after Ralph's. So if it was Jack's birthday already, Ralph was thirteen. He'd missed his own birthday, and never got a party.

He heard the hunters, extra loud, crashing through the forest. He heard something else too, something he couldn't quite make out. It would stop, then start, then stop again, this noise. There was something different about this kill.

But still the sight shocked him.

The pig wasn't dead yet! It had a vine around its neck, tied very tight, so the pig couldn't break free. But boy, was it a big pig. Jack pulled it toward a tree close to the fire. The pig wouldn't move, so Roger stabbed it from behind to get him to run forward. It ran, and squealed, but Jack had control over it. He led it to a tree and tied it up. After a few, frantic minutes of being tied, it seemed to calm down. Accepting his fate.

Jack stepped to the crowd of hunters. Their masks had been faded from sweat and blood. 'Must be some of them got hurt during the hunt,' Ralph thought.

Jack threw up his arms and yelled. The hunters mocked him, all crying and cheering in celebration.

Jack kept his arms up for silence. "It is my fourteenth year and this pig is for my celebration."

Another loud cheer erupted from the crowd.

"Is there anything else to be given to me?"

It wasn't a spoken command, to get something for Jack, but the hunters knew it must be done. No one spoke at first, and Roger looked sick to his stomach. Finally, Maurice crawled forward on his hands and knees, kneeling before Jack.

"Oh, Great Chief." Maurice had a way with speaking to Jack. "We know that the cave gets cold at night, and a Chief such as you should never sleep uncomfortably. A Chief of your magnitude should have a castle! The hunters would wish to build you a better place to sleep, for your fourteenth year."

He bowed down, being overdramatic, in Ralph's opinion, and the hunters held their breath. If Jack didn't like this idea, who knows what he'd do.

Luckily, Jack loved the idea. "Yes, yes. That's a wonderful idea. We shall start the plans tomorrow."

There was a relieved cheer from the hunters.

(NA: Okay, I know it's a weird spot to end it, but I'll try to update fast. Though it might be hard, as I'm getting braces tomorrow, I'll try. So thank you again, and review, please! This means you: Manda and John.)


	5. Bloody Hands

(NA: I don't own the boys, I just play with them. Thank you. All of you. I feel important, because of you. Please continue to make my existence needful. Or at least pretend. So tell me what you think and where I should go from here. So… here's chapter five!)

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Jack held up his arms again. "It is time. The slaughter must take place."

Ralph shivered, and he noticed he wasn't the only one who did so. Samneric shivered too. The way the Chief made the word slaughter sound scared the boys. He liked killing the pigs. He liked their blood on his hands.

The rest of the boys cheered and started their chant. "Kill the pig, slit her throat, spill her blood!"

The chant went on, getting louder, and soon Samneric had joined in. Ralph sat, hunched in a small ball against the cave's exterior. He put his hands over his head, trying to block out the sound as the day he was hunted rushed back.

'Savages, everywhere. Masked faces of past friends. And Jack. Oh, Jack. Where'd your eyes go? Your darling blue eyes, Jack. They're gone. You've got savage eyes now. No, please Jack. Come back. They'll hurt me. Help me, Jack.'

Suddenly Ralph felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped. He looked up, scared. He'd been caught all over again. But Jack's eyes; his non-savage eyes stared down at him, he smiled and leaned over. "You're safe, Ralph. Nothing's gunna hurt you here."

The rest of the boys couldn't hear over the cheers they were making, but Ralph watched Jack approach the pig.

They'd brought the pig back for a reason. Ralph was meant to see this.

Jack was still for a second, and the pig knew the fight was coming. It tensed and started to run back and forth, as far as the vine would let him. Finally, Jack jumped on the pig. It squealed, but Jack wrestled it. He fought with it, wearing them both out, before he finally got it onto its back. He plunged his knife into her throat, letting the blood spill on his hands. He smiled, secretly loving the feeling of warm blood on him.

As the pig lay motionless, he started to gather some composure, and he noticed someone kneeling down beside him. He looked over and smiled. Roger grinned, but then coughed, nervously.

"A Chief such as you should have something to show he's the chief." Roger held out his hands, and showed Jack the necklace he'd made.

Jack grinned, and bowed his head. "Put it on me."

Roger hesitated for a moment, but it was a command from his Chief, so he put it over Jack's head. He laid it slowly on Jack's shoulders, and Jack looked up, grinning. "Thanks, Roger."

Roger nodded and stood up, going to step away when Jack said, "Wait!"

Roger turned around and Jack stood up, facing the younger boy. Blood still dripped from his fingers as he held out his hands, pressing them into Roger's chest. Roger was shaking under Jack's touch, but he stayed, letting Jack's bloody hands stay on his chest. Slowly, Jack moved his hand away and said. "Let the feast commence!"

Maurice, Robert and Bill all ran over to the pig and tied it to a stick and brought it over to the fire. They quickly put up their cooking gear and set the pig across the gear. (The gear was two Y shaped sticks that could hold the weight of the pig.)

Roger walked over to the fire, where most of the boys were cheering and dancing. Roger didn't usually dance, but he was feeling extra savage today, with what Jack had done to him. The handprints showed a sense of belonging to him. He belonged in this tribe. He belonged with Jack. He grabbed his spear and danced and chanted with the rest of them.

Jack, on the other hand, went over to Ralph. He was staring, blankly, into the fire. Fear was still in his eyes, and Jack smiled, kneeling down before the younger boy. "You okay, Ralph?"

Ralph didn't seem to hear him. Jack could see the glow of the fire in his eyes. He could see the inner savage rise in Ralph. He put his hand on Ralph's cheek, guiding Ralph's eyes back to his. "Earth to Ralph..."

Ralph looked at Jack and blinked the savage back down. After a few seconds, Ralph grinned at Jack. "That was a good kill."

Jack just laughed and with his hand, guided Ralph's head so he was looking at Jack's chest. Jack slowly leaned in and kissed Ralph's forehead. He stood back up, removing his hand from Ralph's cheek and smiled at the bloody handprint left on Ralph's cheek. He turned and walked to the fire, sitting on his "throne" and watching the pig cook, waiting impatiently for it to get done.

Ralph's fingers slightly traced where Jack's hand had been, getting a small amount of blood on his own hands. He stood and walked to Jack, sitting on his knees to his right.

----------

Jack and Ralph both seemed to ignore the bloody handprint. Throughout the night, neither boy seemed to care it was on. And if they did care, they didn't show it.

The other boys saw it for something. It was the first "mask" they'd ever seen Ralph have. They assumed he was joining them, finally. Samneric were excited. They'd always been behind Ralph. To them and many of the boys really, Ralph had been their true leader. He was the first, and some of the boys still respected him. But joining Jack at last was a glorious moment.

Nobody would defy their leader now. Nobody could. The resistance was joining the leader at last. It only made the fourteenth year of their leader seem even more successful.

Roger didn't think so.

Jack sat on his "throne" which was basically a tree stump of a tree that had fallen down during a storm, decorated with leaves and vines. That part didn't bother Roger. Jack usually sat there, and hardly ever danced until after the feast. He always watched, thinking. Roger always wished he knew what was going on under the red hair.

Ralph sat to his right. That was what made Roger uneasy. Not uneasy. Uneasy was the wrong word for it. Downright outraged was more appropriate. To Jack's right was Roger's seat. It was an unspoken agreement between the hunters. Nobody sat there unless they wanted to fight Roger for it.

Nobody wanted to fight Roger.

But here sat their old chief. Roger wouldn't ever think of Ralph as the chief. He never did, and he never would. For as long as Roger could remember, Jack had been the boss of him. When Jack was the chief, Roger was second in command. When Jack had been leader of the hunters, Roger was the first hunter to follow Jack, blindly. When Jack was in charge of the choir, marching down the beach to find the one who blew the trumpet, Roger followed, two steps behind, but following always.

Roger would follow Jack off a cliff.

But here sat Ralph, now at Jack's side.

As Roger sat, watching Ralph and Jack talk quietly to one another while the smell of cooking pig burned his nose, he thought about home for the first time on the island. Not his home with his family, but his home at the school.

Jack and Roger had been like that in school too. When Jack led the choir, if Jack told Roger to sing higher, he would. If his voice wouldn't allow him, Jack would grin and say, "You're worthless, Roger."

That always hurt Roger's feelings, even though he knew Jack was only picking. Roger's voice wasn't like Jack's. Roger couldn't hit a c sharp. Roger was more of the harmony to Jack's melody. ('Oh great. I'm comparing us to music.' Roger thought)

It didn't stop there. If Jack had the idea to skip class, and fake 'sick.' Roger would stay with him. "Roger's getting me water." Jack would fake. "Roger's helping me get better."

That led to sneaking out at night, and doing things. Jack and Roger would steal food from the cafeteria or go swimming in the pond. They'd throw snowballs at the school and other minor acts of violence and child's play.

Somehow, Jack managed to stay out of trouble. He was the kid that everyone knew was doing things wrong, but nobody had proof. He was an angel in the classroom. Always answering questions and singing in a voice that matched his angelic appearance. But he had horns. He hid the horns under his hair, and it wasn't until his halo of red hair got smoothed down at night that they could be shown.

Only Roger knew about his horns.

When they were caught outside one spring night, only a week or so before they were to go home, even Jack couldn't talk his way out of it. They were going to get into a lot of trouble because this was proof. This is what they needed to condemn Jack. They'd throw him out of school, Roger thought, they'd take Jack away from Roger.

Roger wouldn't let that happen.

Roger told the headmaster he'd done it. He had been sneaking out, alone, every night. He would single handedly sneak out and do all the things Jack had told him to do. Roger said that he convinced Jack to come with him, tonight. Forced, really. This was the first night that Jack came along, ever.

Roger'd took the blame for all those things for Jack. Jack played along, not wanting to get himself into trouble of Roger was volunteering to get himself in trouble for him.

And sense then the two had been even closer.

Until tonight.

"It's done. Samneric cut it open!"

Roger was forced back to reality by Jack's voice. He didn't sound the same. Puberty was starting in the older boys. Jack and Ralph, mostly. But that wasn't really the difference. It was the raspiness of it. Jack wasn't a c sharp anymore.

Jack wasn't Jack anymore.

Sam and Eric, (they were separate identities to Roger) gave a large chunk to Jack. Jack was always first served. Jack looked at Ralph, who tried to slump away from the gaze.

The twins knew what Jack meant. The next large chunk of meat went to Ralph.

That was another stab in the chest for Roger.

He was served next, by Eric, of course, as the rest of the boys jumped in, fighting for what they wanted. When Roger took one of the chunks of meat, Eric had sat down next to Roger and started to eat slowly.

"How are you?" Eric's voice seemed different, too. Roger took a bite of his cooked pig, rather than talk to Eric. It wasn't that he disliked the twin. He liked Eric… he just liked him with scars and bruises and blood on him even better.

Roger looked at Eric's shoulders, which were starting to scab over. Neither boy would bring it up, nor talk about it if someone else did. It was another unspoken agreement. What happened, happened. There wasn't a need to discuss it.

Roger looked back up at the dancing boys around the fire. There weren't any he'd trade for Eric. Eric was submissive, and Roger liked that. Though Bill or Maurice would turn submissive under Roger, they wouldn't handle it like Eric. Eric wore his wounds proudly. He didn't try to cover them with his old clothes.

That's what Roger liked about Eric.

Suddenly Jack rose. Everyone was done eating, and Jack was ready to dance. Everyone cheered as Jack stood. They knew that their Chief would join them. Roger and Eric stood too, ready to dance as one. All the hunters; enjoying the kill and the company of each other.

Then Jack held his hand down to Ralph. Ralph took it and stood up. Jack was allowing Ralph to dance, too. Allowing him, inviting him, dance _with_ the Chief.

That was the final straw for Roger, he turned from the fire, he turned from the tribe. He turned from his best friend, his chief, the only other person he cared about beside himself.

Ralph had taken his spot for the last time and Roger would get back at Ralph… if it was the last thing he ever did.


	6. The Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own this, and I wrote the last bit after I watched Brokeback Mountain, nuff said.

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The party raged on in Roger's absence. With Ralph joining in, that only further made it seem like he was joining their tribe. Jack led him around the circle, and the other boys followed. Jack would raise his spear in the air yelling and yipping in triumph, and the other boys would mimic.

Ralph wasn't sure how long that went on, but it seemed to last for hours.

The fire died down with the boys' energy. Many began to sit out and watch the others, until it was only Jack and Ralph left. Both boys were tired, but something about the fire still going felt the need to dance more. Dance until the fire was gone.

The other boys watched, growing even more tired, but unable to look away, unable to sleep.

It was Eric to speak and throw everyone from the trance. "Where's Roger?"

Jack stopped and looked at the shaded, masked faces of the boys. He knew every mask by heart, even if many of the boys changed them. To him, the masks were who those boys were. For some reason, panic surged his body for a brief moment. It wasn't with worry, but dread. Roger's planning something, Jack thought. We have to stop him.

He realized how ridiculous that sounded. Roger had always been there with him. Roger would do anything Jack said, and take the blame like it was his own idea. He had nothing to fear.

Ralph stopped behind Jack, and felt dread too. But Ralph's was more obvious. He knew Roger disliked him, and wherever Roger could be, he could be plotting, angry at something.

A light rain began to fall.

"He's probably gone to bed, as you should." Jack said, sounding confident.

None of the boys groaned at being told to go to bed. They were too tired. Many of the boys just laid where they were. The rain was cool, and it wasn't raining hard enough yet to make them run for cover.

Jack grinned, picked up a stick from the fire, which was still burning and held the pig skin door of his cave open for Ralph, who crawled in. Jack took one last look around at the masked hunters, before he crawled in after Ralph.

Eric stayed up. Roger didn't go to sleep, and he knew that. It was too dark out to go find him, the beast, though he himself didn't believe in it, could be out there. Eric laid down next to Sam, facing away from him, their backs touching.

Sam smiled.

----------

Ralph laid down as soon as he got to his side of the cave. Jack however, stretched, and lit his fire, winding down from a long, glorious night.

"This cave is kinda cold." Jack said.

"I guess." Ralph answered, eyes closing.

Jack looked at the smaller body. "You can have some of this, if you want."

Ralph opened his eyes to see what Jack had been talking about, but Jack hadn't moved. He stayed, looking down at Ralph.

"Some of what?"

Jack sat down and said, "Some pig skin... to sleep on"

He was sitting on the pig skin, Ralph noticed but he crawled over anyway. Jack hardly moved.

"How can I have them if you won't get off them."

Jack grinned. "Well I'm not ruining my bed for you. If you want them, sleep on that side."

Ralph forced a frown as he sat down next to Jack. Jack looked into the fire, smiling. The fire's light danced around his tanned body and painted face, he looked even more attractive. Ralph looked away.

"Why don't you want to be a hunter, Ralph?"

Ralph looked back up at Jack. Jack still looked to the fire, avoiding eye contact. "I dunno." Ralph answered simply. "I guess it's cause I don't think I could actually hurt a pig."

"It's not all that bad."

"You like it."

"I like to feed my people." Jack said, firmly.

"You like the pig's blood on your hands."

Jack frowned deeply; it was true; he liked to kill the pigs. He liked how the blood was warm and how it felt over his hands. He liked being in control. He liked deciding which pig lived and which got eaten.

When Jack didn't answer Ralph laid down. It was big enough for him to stretch out, and he smiled. Beside him, he felt Jack lay down too, both boys looked up, to the top of the cave in silence.

After what seemed like hours, Jack said, "You don't have to kill a pig."

Ralph sighed and rolled to his side, facing away from Jack. "Why are you pushing it?"

Jack's voice got quieter. "You're strong. You could be a boxer, if you wanted. If you went hunting you'd only get stronger and faster."

"So what if I don't want to get strong and faster?"

"You'll always be prey." Jack rolled over too, facing away from Ralph. Neither boy said anything else, but it was a while longer until the both actually fell asleep.

----------

Eric was worried. Roger, though he was the type to run off and hide by himself, never did it when he could use Jack for company. Eric frowned. He'd always be a plaything to Roger. He was always was what Roger wanted him to be. If Roger wanted a friend, Eric would be his friend. If Roger wanted to hurt somebody, Eric would silently volunteer.

It didn't matter what Roger wanted. Eric would give him anything from a comforting word, to a kiss. Eric blushed in the darkness.

Sam was shaking. Eric felt his twin through his back. He couldn't say he enjoyed it. The shaking was what was keeping him awake. Every time Eric tried to move away from Sam, Sam would only move with him.

Eric wanted his own identity to all the boys, like he had with Roger. He didn't want them all to treat him like Roger, because he wouldn't stand for that. He would fight back against any other boy on the island.

Why couldn't he fight back against Roger?

Eric sighed and rolled over, facing Sam. Sam twitched slightly, from the body heat leaving him, but he didn't move toward Eric.

Eric didn't fight back, because he couldn't. There was no way Eric could out smart or out beat Roger. Roger knew every way to make Eric melt; he knew every way to stop the twin in his tracts, whether it was beating, or kissing, or something else.

As Eric finally drifted into sleep, he knew that someone else had to take care of Roger, because Eric would stay by his side. He would find Roger tomorrow morning and he'd never leave him.

----------

Ralph awoke feeling warm. He grinned and sighed, nuzzling into Jack's bed. It wasn't until he heard a small noise of protest from Jack, that he realized how they were laying.

Ralph hadn't moved, but Jack had faced Ralph, draped his arm over Ralph's stomach, and pulled his back to Jack's chest. Ralph didn't know what to think. With the protest, Jack had moved even closer to Ralph, and moved his arm so his hand was touching Ralph's chest.

Ralph's heart began to race. He tried to calm himself down, because Jack could probably feel his pulse.

As Jack fell back into a peaceful slumber, Ralph began to calm down. It's not that he minded what Jack was doing, he just didn't know if Jack knew. He was probably just cold… yes, that's it. Jack's cold. He doesn't know what he's doing.

Ralph didn't know what time it was. He didn't hear anything, besides their fire, which was almost dead, and the light rain picking up outside. Ralph closed his eyes. He was still sort of tired. He was sure he could fall asleep again. Yes, definitely.

Ralph traced up Jack's arm, from his elbow, which was resting on the ground, to Jack's hand that was on his chest. He placed his hand over it and Jack's fingers spread, letting room for Ralph's in between.

Ralph grinned, laced their fingers, and fell back to sleep.

----------

The boys outside awoke with the increasingly heavy rain. They had a cave, down the mountain a short ways walk. They quickly ran down there, before they got too wet, and too sick. The rain started coming down heavier, and from the look at the sky, it wasn't going to stop soon.

The rain didn't wake up Eric. Rain always seemed to clean him, to wash away his sins and make him feel human again. His mask was slowly washing off, as with the rest of the boys. What awoke the boy, was his twin shaking him.

"Eric, wake up! If we don't get down to the caves, we'll get sick."

Eric stood up, they were the only two left outside Jack's cave. "Why don't we just go in there?"

"And disturb the Chief?" Sam sounded shocked. "You'll wake him. He'll get angry. He'll send someone to beat you."

Eric grinned. Roger would beat him.

Sam frowned. "Don't waste your time. Jack doesn't know where Roger is."

Eric shot a look at his twin, who held his gaze. Both boys were obviously angry, and a streak of lightning came down just then, lighting up both of their half painted, almost identical faces.

With the thunder that followed the lightning, both boys ran off in direction of the cave for shelter. They weren't scared of the lightning, but the thunder sounded louder than normal. The beast could have growled just then.

----------

Jack awoke to the sound of thunder as it echoed off the walls. He grumbled and kept his eyes closed. He wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, but he had been having the most wonderful dream.

He couldn't remember exactly what it had been about, he remembered a fire and dancing, and Ralph was there. He smiled in the darkness of the cave. Ralph was dancing with him. Ralph had joined the hunters. Ralph had chosen to stay with Jack.

Jack took in a deep breath. It even smelled like Ralph. Jack opened his eyes and blinked, trying to get an idea about what time it was. It was dark, from the storm, and the fire was just embers. He would have to blow on it quickly, to start again.

However, right in front of him, was something tanned that he wasn't use to seeing. It wasn't until he tried to move his hands that he realized where they were. He blushed and quickly tried to untangle his hand from Ralph's.

'_Be careful, Jack. You fool. You're lucky Ralph didn't wake up. Who would respect a chief that liked other boys?'_ A strange voice in his head said. He sat up and leaned over Ralph.

Ralph was holding his hand back. "How am I suppose to get out without waking him?" Jack said out loud.

'_Don't wake him. If you wake him, he'll know you like him. He'll know everything about you, Jackie. Every secret desire you have for him. Be cautious. Don't let him know.'_

Ralph stirred. He let go of Jack's hand to rub his eyes, and Jack quickly pulled his hand away, rubbing it, like it was asleep.

Ralph sat up. "Wha's that noise?"

"Just a storm." Jack hadn't even heard the other clasp of thunder over his own heart.

"Oh." Ralph yawned and held his hands over the few embers that was once their fire.

Jack leaned over and blew on them lightly, trying to get them to start up again. After a few seconds, he got a flame and put some dry leaves they had in the cave on it.

Ralph was grinning. "You're so good at this stuff."

"What stuff?" Jack felt himself blush.

"Everything. You're good at hunting and making fires and leading the boys. You're a natural."

Jack looked at Ralph. This wasn't fair. Ralph knew. Jack could tell by the goofy look on the other boy's face. It was mocking him. It was yelling at him, _'He knows what you want, Jack. And that's something he's not going to _give _you.'_

Ralph looked at Jack and smiled. He reached out his hand and brushed some hair from Jack's face, taking off some of the white clay as he did so.

'_You want him, and he's not going to just give it to you, you have to take it.'_

Jack looked over Ralph. He was still smiling. He looked tired, but he was smiling. He knew. Now all he was going to tell all the hunters. _'Look it here. Your chief likes boys.'_

'_Take it, Jack. Take what you want.'_

"No." Jack found himself whispering.

Ralph looked confused. "Jack?"

'_Take it!'_

Ralph had barely gotten the word from his mouth before the hunter had the younger boy by the shoulders and was wrestling him down. "Jack?" The voice was distant, even to Ralph, as the two rolled around for dominance. Jack won, and pinned Ralph down before he leaned over and kissed the younger boy.

It was clumsy, with awkward hands exploring each other's faces and backs. Ralph struggled underneath Jack, and finally got the stronger boy around, on his back, with Ralph on top, and kissing and exploring continued as the storm raged on inside both of them.


	7. The Memory

Disclaimer: No owning around here. Yup Yup. Well. Half of this I was insanely happy though (Maurice and Robert) and the other half I was myself. Happy Valentine's Day to Roger and Eric. (Hehe. They got my Valentine's frustration taken out on them) So… erm… Read it and tell me what you think. Oh and PS: Don't read it if you don't like slash.

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The rain stopped as the Ralph and Jack fell back to sleep. The boys were farther apart than they had been, too tired to think about where they lay as they fall asleep. They were facing away from each other, not even their backs were touching, like Samneric's were before.

It was a good thing, too. As soon as the storm broke and the sun came out, showing morning, Eric had peeked into the cave. He knew Jack would be asleep. Jack had steadily woken up later in the day, with Ralph in there with him. Eric sighed. He'd secretly hoped the two were touching.

Had they been touching, hugging, anything that made them seem like a couple, he could go to Roger for comfort. He'd give himself to Roger, again. He'd beat himself for Roger. But Roger wanted Jack.

Eric had to tell him that nothing was going on with Jack and Ralph.

Eric sighed and walked out of the cave, and was met by Maurice and Robert. Maurice, always ready to talk, said, "Is the Chief up yet?"

The twin jumped, surprised he wasn't being scolded. "No. Neither of them are."

Maurice grinned to Robert as Eric walked away. "The two of them shouldn't stay up so late. Dancing and who knows what else."

Robert giggled. Eric looked angry as he stormed off, to the place he knew he'd find Roger.

There wasn't love on the island. Not real love, not like what a parent feels for a child. When a child isn't loved, he goes twisted, it seemed. At least in Eric's eyes. He couldn't think of a biggun on the island that was still normal by British standards.

Every boy of high rank had a boy in lower rank as his plaything.

Like Jack had Ralph. Maurice had Robert. Roger had Eric.

Eric kept walking until he got to the shore. There was a cave on the outside of the island. You had to walk on the very small path that was mostly sand, and during high tide, you couldn't walk there at all.

But about five minutes from the start of the path, there was a cave a few feet deep. A perfect hide out for one or two people. Eric knew Roger hung out here, but was still slightly surprised to see the boy, curled up in a ball at the back of the cave, where the tide would never reach him, sleeping.

Roger hated to sleep around people. He shook when he slept. Eric didn't know why. Maybe he was cold… or scared. Eric wanted to touch him, to stroke the tan shoulder, to tell Roger it was okay. He wanted to say, "Jack doesn't like Ralph… not like I like you…"

But he could never be that bold, not even while the other was sleeping. Eric decided not to wake him. He sat, facing out to sea, and watched the waves play with his feet, hearing soft murmurs Roger made in his sleep, behind him.

----------

Maurice was getting impatient. It's not that he was jumping at the idea of building Jack a hut, but he didn't like waiting, once he decided to do something. Robert, next to him, was just looking bored.

"Let's just go wake him, Reese." Robert laid back on the ground, angling his head so he could still see the front of Jack's cave.

"And have him kill us? No way."

"Kill us for what?"

"For disturbing him and Ralph, stupid." Maurice shook his head, his hair flying everywhere. "People don't like to be disturbed when they're doing things like that."

"You don't know they're doing things like that."

"Do so. Why else would they sleep in the same cave?"

Robert sat up again, sighing. "All the rest of us slept in the same cave last night. And what about flat mates, eh? Remember. Guys live together all the time."

"Poofs."

"You're a poof."

Maurice ignored him and stayed quiet for a few second before he said. "Have you seen Sam?"

"Naw. Last I saw of Sam was when he was sleeping with Eric."

Maurice grinned. "Eric's not sleeping with Sam. He's sleeping with Roger."

Robert was quiet. It was taboo to talk about Roger and Eric. Everyone knew something was happening, but no one, but Roger and Eric knew what, exactly. Every fresh cut on Eric's body was a mark by Roger. A mark that half the boys thought was Roger's sadistic way of getting out his pent up frustration; the other half thinking it was a mark to say, _'This is mine. Touch it and die.'_

If you even mentioned Eric around Roger he got angry and would beat you. And if you talked about Roger around Eric, Eric would stay really quiet, like he was torn in half. Scared to death, and completely in love.

"Actually he's not." Maurice continued, unphased by the taboo. "Roger likes the Chief."

"How do you know?"

"Duh. Do you notice that the sun rises every morning?" Maurice smiled.

"But why would Roger like the Chief?"

"I've been on the receiving end of Jack's bloody hand prints." Maurice closed his eyes and ran his fingers down his cheeks, when they killed the sow and gave its head to the Beast, Jack wiped the blood on his face.

Robert looked angry, a spark of jealously. "So what?"

"You can't resist a bloody handprint from Jack. That's probably why Ralphie gave in, too."

Robert was silent for a few more minutes, angry and jealous.

"But, you know, I wouldn't mind your bloody handprint." Maurice grinned, and pushed Robert. Robert grinned and pushed back and in a few seconds a playful wrestling match was taking place. Suddenly, Jack walked out.

The two pulled themselves off of each other, Robert blushed, but Maurice just grinned and watched Jack.

Jack yawned and stretched, twisting his body which amusing to the two grinning hunters who were watching him. Maurice and Robert were trying not to giggle.

Jack rubbed his eyes, with the back of his hand, getting some of his mask off. The mask was smeared. Sleeping wouldn't mess it up like that. Maurice and Robert looked at each other, grinning like loons.

Jack noticed the two boys and said, "Hey, you ready to build the hut?"

Maurice stood up and walked over to Jack, Robert at his heals. "Oh yes, sir. We were just waiting to see where you and Ra-… Where _you_ wanted it, sir."

Robert giggled and Jack looked at him. "What's wrong with you two? You found some drugs on the island or something?"

Maurice giggled. "Oh no. The storm just got to us. Did it get to you, too, Chief?"

More giggles and Jack frowned, looking back at the cave and he licked his lips, momentarily lost in la la land. Maurice nudged Robert while Jack wasn't looking and made a kissy face at him. Robert giggled.

"Well right here's fine." Jack pointed to a spot not too far from the cave. "And stop messing around." Soon Bill and a few other hunters made their way up the mountain. They were a lot less giggly than the other two, and almost looked annoyed.

Jack went over to meet them. "Hey. What's wrong with those two?" Jack looked over his shoulder and Maurice and Robert, both still giggling were laying rocks as blue prints, making the hut quite big. Every so often the two would give each other a small look, or push each other, for the sake of touching.

"They're always like that." Bill said, grinning. "Was even worse last night, having the two stuck in the cave during the storm… they'd hardly stop laughing."

"… and doing other things." Wilfred joked and the other hunters laughed, but Jack looked confused, and looked back to Maurice and Robert.

"You didn't know, Chief?" Bill sounded amazed. "Those two are always doing things like that. Normally, they wouldn't be so public about it… you know… like yo- I mean. Like some of the other people in the tribe. They usually go somewhere else.. but the storm got to them. A sort of a cabin fever, I guess. They don't want to go hide in some cave anymore."

Jack watched the two, playfully pushing each other at every chance, unaware the other boys were watching. "Oh." Jack frowned a bit.

Bill looked at Jack, frowning. "Something wrong, Chief."

"Oh. Oh no. I was just thinking. So go help them with my hut." Bill nodded and the small group of hunters went to the other boys, who made their flirting more subtle, with looks instead of touching. Jack sat down and watched the two. It felt weird, to watch. He wondered if anyone ever watched him and…

Ralph came out of the cave. Jack's bloody hand was still on there, but he mostly looked the same. Jack smiled and looked down, playing idley with the necklace Roger'd made him.

Ralph smiled and walked over to Jack.

Neither boy noticed, but at that same time, Maurice nudged Robert and the two started giggling, again.

----------

Eric had fallen asleep, somehow. Just in a deep enough sleep to dream, and the waves was what caused it. It wasn't so much of a dream, as a memory that he felt he was living again, from a day he wish everyone would forget. He couldn't forget. Not with a scar, as a constant reminder.

Eric was standing next to Roger after Ralph had come to him in the night, and told him where he'd be hiding. He felt torn. Should he tell Roger where Ralph was hiding?

He didn't get the chance to choose. While standing there, Sam sitting in front of the two, on the edge of the cliff, with his feet dangling, Jack came up to Roger and touched his shoulder. Eric felt his stomach turn with jealousy, but he couldn't picture himself fighting with the Chief over a sadistic monster.

"Hey boys." Jack had said, the viciousness in his voice was thick. It made both twins shudder. "So why don't you tell us where Ralphie is."

Sam stood still, and Eric tried to move away. Roger had his spear and his hand and was watching Eric. As Eric moved, Roger moved to Sam and pulled him by the arms, away from the edge, just enough to sit on top of him and pin him down. Jack grinned.

"I won't tell you." Sam said loudly, trying to get Roger off of him.

Roger grinned. "I only like the kill more, with a fight, Sammy."

Sam slowly stopped fighting as Jack said, "here" and gave Roger his pig killing knife. "Cut it out of him."

Roger held down the blade, threateningly. Pushing hard enough to hurt, but not hard enough to bleed, not yet. "So where's Ralph?"

"Why do you want him so badly?"

Jack coughed slightly, almost sounding embarrassed before he said, "He as a threat and he must be captured."

Sam closed his eyes, almost accepting death. "We don't know where he is."

Eric froze. Now Sam was dragging Eric into it, also. Surprisingly, neither Jack nor Roger noticed. Roger answered with making a small slice on the lower part of Sam's neck.

"S-Stop!" Eric said. "Roger, stop it!"

Roger looked up, shocked momentarily. Nobody used his name so freely anymore. It seemed to glide out of Eric's mouth, like he'd practiced over and over. Roger sneered. "If you'd like to have your brother with his head still attached to his body… you better tell me where he is."

Eric closed his eyes. He had to tell. He wanted to tell. "He's—"

"No! Eric!" Sam struggled and Roger sliced again. Sam winced in pain, and blood started to drip out.

"Don't talk now. You had your chance. It's Eric's turn." Roger looked at Eric.

Jack suddenly walked over to Roger, and pulled him up by the arm. Roger didn't look like he minded at all. Sam was still pinned by Roger's foot and spear to his chest. Sam looked up at Eric and mouthed the words, 'Don't tell.'

After a few seconds of hushed talking, Jack got down on top of Sam, he pinned him down just as well as Roger, if not better. Sam didn't seem to be able to move at all. Jack leaned over and whispered. "Don't move, or Eric'll get it."

Eric froze. Now he'd have to deal with Roger. He wanted to move away, his body screamed at him to run, but his legs wouldn't move. Roger grabbed Eric's arm and dragged him a little of the way inside the forest. Jack watched them go, but it was dark, and they went too far in for Jack's eyes too see.

Roger harshly threw Eric against a particularly fat tree and pushed his body against the twins, pinning it there. "We can do this however you want. Want to tell me now, or do you need more convincing?"

Eric whimpered his response, but that answer wasn't good enough for Roger and he moved back and sliced down Eric's chest with the spear. Eric shook, but he didn't call out. The line, from his chest, to an eight inches long, stopped an inch above his belly button. It started to bleed.

Something about the blood changed Roger. He ran his fingers over the blood, letting the warmth clean him. The way he moved his fingers over the wound, it made it open farther, letting more blood out. It seemed like the blood was telling him something. Eric prayed his blood wasn't going to give what he wanted away.

Roger ran his fingers through the blood and over Eric's chest, making the wound look like it was bleeding more than it was, he made it look worse. When he got to Eric's shoulders he pulled Eric too him, while Roger's chest pressed against Eric's, and kissed him.

Eric shook, and Roger grinned. One of his hands came up to Eric's face and tilted it, his fingers digging into Eric's jaw line, forcing him to open his mouth.

Eric opened, and he let Roger kiss him. It wasn't clumsy. Roger seemed to know what he was doing, how, Eric wouldn't ever bother to ask. Eric stayed still, unsure of what to do. He didn't have any directions from Roger, but to stand here. And to tell him where Ralph was.

Suddenly Roger backed away, frowning. "Kiss me back."

"Wha–?" Eric didn't have time to finish before Roger was kissing him again, harder than the first time. Eric followed Roger's lead, and mimicked what he did for a few minutes, until Roger was satisfied and he pulled back.

Both boy's chests were covered in blood. Eric realized the wound was deeper than he thought, and although Roger had applied a little pressure to his chest, the bleeding hadn't stopped yet. Eric was starting to feel woozy.

"Where is he, Eric?" Roger's voice was strange. It wasn't Roger's normal, evil, sadistic voice. It was the voice of harmony.

Eric pointed. "Through there. He's hiding where the rock that killed Piggy landed. You'll have to smoke him out."

Roger grinned and leaned in. He kissed Eric one more time, a softer, gentler kiss, and pulled back. "See. That wasn't so hard. And Sam barely got hurt."

"Don't hurt Sam… please. Take me instead." Eric was surprised by his own words.

Apparently, Roger was too. "Such brotherly love." Roger ran his hand over Eric's cheek. Eric leaned into it, as hard as he tried not to; he wanted Roger to touch him. Roger let his fingers slide in Eric's tangled hair. He grasped it and pulled Eric close and whispered in his ear. "Or is there something else about it that you love?"

Eric gasped and winced at his hair being pulled, but Roger didn't care, he laughed, let go of Eric and started to walk up Castle Rock once more.

Eric followed blindly behind him.

Jack stood up and looked at the bloody boys when the came back in. "Hell, Roger. What happened to you?" When he saw Eric's blood, still coming out, he understood. It was Eric's blood on Roger.

Eric staggered the last few steps before collapsing at Roger's feet. Or at least, it would have been Roger's feet, if Sam hadn't caught him.


	8. The ways of the hunter

(Disclaimer: No own. Sorry for taking so long. And sorry this chapter's kinda long. Once I got done I thought about making it two chapters, but I disided against it. So here is all chapter eight. PS: Thanks for the reviews! I really love them. They make my day!)

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Bill had taken a break from building the hut already. It'd only been an hour or so since they started, but it didn't really matter, Jack was off in his own little world. He and Ralph said little. Jack stared into the distance, and Ralph was banging on rock against another. Every so often Jack would look over, trying to guess what Ralph was doing, but he couldn't. He didn't want Ralph to catch him looking, so he quickly looked back to the hut and thought some more.

Bill had knocked Jack out of his daydreaming. "How's it looking, Chief?" Jack and Ralph both looked at Bill, who was already sitting next to them.

"It's good." Jack said, looking at the hut. It was turning out alright, better than the ones everyone made back on the beach.

"So what are we going to do today, Chief?"

Jack thought. "I'm going to teach Ralph how to hunt..."

Ralph paled. "No, Jack. That's fine. You don't have t—"

Jack grinned his insane grin, but his eyes were the same as the night before. "You're learning and that's final." His voice sounded forced.

Ralph had to hold back from laughing. "Yes. Of course I will."

Jack smiled.

Bill looked nervous. One didn't have to be a genius to know that Jack favored Ralph, and if he'd talk to Ralph like that, he must be furious that Bill was sitting out already. "I'll… uh… just get back to work."

Jack nodded and stood up. "Good." He watched Bill leave, "Ready, Ralph?"

Ralph nodded, taking one of the rocks, now sharpened to a point, blowing on it, to get the dust off of it, and followed Jack down the mountain a little way, to the stream they bathed at the other day, to practice hunting.

Jack wasn't as good as a teacher as he was a hunter. He was very impatient and Ralph was only half heartedly throwing Jack's spear. (Not his good one, of course, he didn't want Ralph to ruin that one. This was his first spear, and if Ralph wanted to go hunting, he could use this spear too.)

"No! Ralph. You've gotta go like this!" Jack took the spear from Ralph's hand, their flesh touching momentarily, in the transition, causing both boys to blush slightly. Jack quickly recovered and threw the spear, perfectly, hitting the tree they were aiming at.

Ralph sighed. "Jack, why are you even bothering? I'm never going to be a good hunter. I can't kill anything."

Ralph froze as he saw Jack's eyes light up. He use to take that for Jack's bloodlust, but it seemed lately, it was a look of a great idea. An idea where he benefited something.

"Well…" Jack smiled. "A lot of the time the spears don't kill the pig, and then we have to wrestle it to the ground…"

"Like you did last night?"

"Yeah."

Ralph grinned. "I thought you were showing off."

Jack walked to the tree and pulled out his spear, his voice full of sarcasm. "Ha. Ha."

Ralph laughed. "Yes, so what about wrestling the pig?"

"Oh yes." Jack continued as if never interrupted. "Well you gotta just get the pig down. Think you can get a pig down?"

Ralph rolled his eyes. "And what? You've got a pig handy for me to wrestle."

"No. You can wrestle me." Jack blushed softly, but grinned. He obviously liked the idea.

Ralph thought about equating Jack to a pig, verbally, to get Jack flustered, but decided against it. Jack threw the spear down, over to a spot they wouldn't be wrestling on, so neither boy got seriously hurt, and got on his hands and knees.

Ralph blushed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm a pig." Jack said, crawling about on his hands and knees. "So come on, wrestle me."

Ralph laughed. "Pigs aren't usually that tan, and they usually haven't got red hair."

Jack grinned. "And hunters usually have spears and aren't the pig's playthings. We'll have to act here, Ralphie."

Ralph grinned back and jumped at Jack. Jack wasn't expecting it so soon, so he was knocked over, and within seconds Ralph was sitting on his stomach, his hands clenched Jack's wrists, and pinned them down too. "Pinned ya."

Jack's eyes showed his surprise, even if his facial expressions didn't. "Well I wasn't ready. Get off and let's try it again."

Ralph grinned. "I don't even get a prize for capturing the pig?"

Jack grinned back, he knew what he'd like to give Ralph for the prize, but he was pinned. "The pig won't ever give you anything, Ralph. Lesson number one: You have to _take_ what you want."

Ralph looked down at Jack, he was panting slightly, from the small fight, and there was sand on his chest that had mixed with sweat and clay. Ralph moved one of his hands off of Jack's wrists and put it on Jack's cheek as he leaned down to kiss him.

Jack grinned, putting his free hand on Ralph's side, and easily flipped him over, with Ralph paying more attention to Jack than the actual pin. A few seconds of struggling, and Jack had Ralph down so he couldn't move.

"Lesson number two. Don't ever let your feelings overcome you."

Ralph groaned, and lay limp under Jack, not even bothering to fight. Jack let his guard down a bit. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"Sorry for what?"

"That I'm not the hunter you wanted me to be." Jack sat up, straddling Ralph's stomach, and Ralph put his hands over his face. His words became muffled. "I didn't mean to let you down."

Jack looked shocked. "No. You didn't let me down." Jack wasn't sure what to do to comfort Ralph. "You'll get it… I promise."

Jack ran his fingers over Ralph's chest, trying to comfort him, but was surprised again, when Ralph threw his weight to one side and pinned Jack down more efficiently, but this time by the shoulders, because he liked Jack to fight back.

"Touché" Jack said, grinning. "See. You've got it. Except, you can't manipulate a pig, like you can me." Jack let his hands go to Ralph's hips, resting them there, grinning mischievously up at the boy. Ralph didn't know if Jack was letting Ralph be on top, or if he was trying to get him to be distracted.

If distracting Ralph was what Jack was going for, he definitely got that.

"Jack?" Ralph's voice was strange, even to himself.

"Uh huh?" Jack didn't seem to be paying much attention to anything but Ralph's hips, then his lips when he started to talk.

"Well… uh…" Jack licked his lips, and Ralph couldn't tell if Jack was even listening. Maybe whatever took over him last night was taking over him again. "Jack?"

"I said what." Jack's eyes weren't looking at Ralph's, they were fixed on his lips. His fingers tightened slightly on Ralph's hips, trying to pull him down a little, and Ralph felt Jack's heart quicken underneath him. From feeling the hunter's heart speed, his own heart began to follow.

"Are you trying to distract me?" Ralph blushed slightly.

Jack didn't even seem phased. "You're distracted, I can feel it. Had I wanted to flip you over, I would have." Jack's eyes wondered back up to Ralph's eyes. He smiled. He looked sane.

"Well what are you doing then?"

"I'm waiting."

"For what?"

Jack grinned. "Just kiss me, Ralph."

Ralph blushed, but Jack's hand moved up farther and pulled on the small of his back, pulling the younger boy down on top of him.

Ralph moved one arm under Jack's head, propping it up, and kissed him.

The anticipation almost killed Jack, so he was hardly able to control himself when they started to kiss. Jack was pushing up as much as he could, with Ralph pushing down. This time wasn't as clumsy; they both knew what they wanted, and they both knew what the other wanted.

----------

Eric shivered. Something was waking him up, but he couldn't even remember where he was. He thought he was home, with a fever, his mother at his side, running a wet rag over his chest to get the fever to come down.

But what he felt wasn't a wet rag, and he smelt the sea. So what was this on his chest?

"I know you're awake, Eric. Open your eyes." Roger's voice. It was hard to tell if it was friendly or angry. It was always hard to tell with Roger. But obediently, Eric opened his eyes. "There's a good boy." Roger sounded, and looked, more like he was talking to a dog. His fingers hand been running over his chest; petting him, teasing him.

Eric thought that Roger might want him to start panting and barking like a dog.

"What'd you come for, Eric?" Now Roger seemed bored, old, and he stopped stroking Eric's chest. He sat back, brought his knees to his chest and hugged his legs, looking at twin.

"Um…" Eric thought. Why had he come here? "Oh yes. I… uh…" Did Roger want to hear about Jack? What if Roger didn't like Jack? Eric would look like an idiot.

"Tell me… You know what telling me things gets you." Roger grinned, but Eric blushed, thinking back to that night. "Are you afraid, Eric? Afraid I'll be disappointed with your information and send you from my cave and from my life?" Roger leaned closer, teasing Eric further. "Are you afraid I'll get a new toy? A new thing to kiss and throw away? I will. You know I will."

Eric couldn't tell if Roger was bluffing or not. Sure, he could beat any boy into submission, but he had a boy who would beat himself into submission. Roger knew Eric would. But Eric knew of the pain Roger would bring him… the pain of boredom, Eric could handle that. If Roger _wanted_ to hurt Eric, he could handle that too. But if he made Roger angry… then he'd really be on the receiving end.

"It's about the chief."

Roger suddenly looked like he was possessed. The thought of Jack, Jack and Ralph, made Roger angry. Eric had seen Roger angry before, but angry didn't even begin to describe the look of fury on his face. "Yeah?" Roger's voice was like venom in Eric's ears. "What about him?"

"Well…" Eric was nervous again. After a few seconds of not answering, Roger snapped and grabbed his spear. He grabbed Eric's hand and threw him against the cave wall. Eric whimpered, his back getting ripped from the jagged rocks. Roger quickly put his spear to Eric's neck, pressing, making him bleed. Eric gasped.

"Tell me." Roger's eyes seemed completely black. "Tell me, Eric, or I'll cut it out of you."

Eric closed his eyes and said, "Jack doesn't like Ralph… they're not anything more than…" Eric didn't need to finish. Roger had dropped his spear and walked over to Eric. The anger was gone.

Roger turned Eric around, looking at the bleeding wounds on his back. He didn't apologize. He never did. But Eric knew that it was okay. Roger frowned. "Why do you think I care?"

Eric shrugged, pretending to be oblivious to the fact that Roger's arm was cut and that Jack's bloody hand prints on Roger's chest had been touched up. Roger never bled himself for anyone. "You never seemed to like Ralph."

Roger scoffed at the understatement and sat back down. Eric faced Roger and ran his fingers over his throat, it wasn't bleeding bad. _'He never pushes hard enough to kill you.'_

Eric shook the voice away and got on his knees in front of Roger and held out his hands. "Do you want this?"

Roger looked down. It was the necklace he'd made, Roger's now on Jack. Roger felt strange. It wasn't guilt, exactly. Here was this boy who left the comfort and safety of his brother, of his tribe, to keep Roger company. The boy who's done anything Roger asked. Anything from the simple 'Kiss me back' to the 'Pick up that hot ember, Eric. Entertain me.'

He didn't feel bad for hurting this boy. Eric wasn't human to Roger, Eric was a play toy. He was a "my sized GI Joe", and Roger was the sadistic boy who'd gotten him for his birthday. He'd love him; he'd break him, but the toy was always there.

Always ready for more.

Roger nodded and bowed his head for Eric to put it on. The shells were aligned differently than Roger's was to Jack. A lot more thought went into it. It had to be perfect.

Eric let his hands drop off Roger's shoulders but Roger put them back on. For the first, and probably the last time, Roger let Eric choose. And Eric chose to stay with Roger.

----------

"Well you've got that down. Even if you aren't a very good hunter." Jack's words were light and dreamy through heavy pants as the boy lay on his back, looking up at the sky. Ralph, was lying on his back, too, a few feet away just grinned.

"I think I know why you like to kill pigs."

"Why's that?" Jack rolled to his side, looking at Ralph.

"The feeling you know. For you, it's bloodlust. The need to kill something, feel the blood on your hands. Well, for me it's just lust. No blood involved."

"No blood involved?" Jack sat up. "You _bit_ me!" Jack ran his fingers over his shoulder. It wasn't bleeding badly, and that wasn't the worse place they were bleeding. Both of their lips had blood on it, from kissing too hard.

Ralph sat up and put his hand around Jack's neck, pulling him closer. Jack expected Ralph to start again, but surprisingly, Ralph leaned over to the wound and licked it. Jack shuddered.

"God, Ralph. You tease."

Ralph leaned back, let go of the chief and stood up. He stretched and Jack watched him. "So what's next?"

Jack stood up too. He was taller than Ralph, and stronger. Ralph noticed the way Jack's muscles moved while he stretched. Had Jack been rescued, Ralph doubted that he would look like that. Nobody spoke of being rescued anymore. It was a waste of time and energy. That's why everyone was pairing up. Nobody wanted to go through puberty alone, with no one to take out their… frustration on.

Jack finished stretching; a show he dragged on, just to show off for Ralph, a stage Ralph thought would be over by now. Not that he minded, or anything. "I think we should bathe. Get off the blood from your face… and my paint."

Ralph nodded. "You put the blood on there."

"I know. I like how it looks. You look good with a mask." Both boys blushed softly, at the verbal form of their feelings.

"Thank you." Ralph couldn't even be sure that Jack could hear him, he was so quiet.

Jack walked into the river, already naked to the waist, and Ralph followed. The water wasn't cold. It never was. Jack went underwater and when he came back up, he ran his fingers through his hair, getting it behind his ears and out of the way. Ralph grinned. Jack always seemed to do that.

Jack continued to wipe the blood from his hands and the paint on his face and chest. "I liked that, you know?"

Ralph was forced to look back on Jack's eyes, not wanting Jack to know he was watching him. "Liked what?"

"The way you did the paint."

"Oh."

Ralph started to clean himself off. Most of the hand and chipped off, from drying and from sweat, and when he got it off, he looked back up at Jack. Jack was watching him, grinning.

"What?"

"Did you kiss a lot of people back in Britain?"

Ralph was dumbfounded at the question. It wasn't that it was a hard question, besides his mum and daddy, and a few other family members, Ralph hadn't kissed much of anyone. Kissing was gross to a twelve year old boy in Britain. He couldn't figure out why Jack wanted to know, and why Jack was bringing up their old home at all.

"Kiss like how?" Ralph thought that was a safe answer.

"Kiss like we kiss." Jack rolled his eyes. "I don't mean did you kiss your granny."

"Uh…" Ralph didn't want to seem childish and say no, but he didn't want to lie and say yes. Either way, he was felt like he'd lose. "How do we kiss again?"

Jack grinned. It seemed like he was expecting this. He pushed the water away and made his way for Ralph. He put his blood free hands on the sides of Ralph's head, and pulled him in and kissed him, another time. Pushing hard, causing their chapped lips to bleed once more. It didn't matter. The taste of blood in their mouths only made them kiss harder.

----------

Roger walked to the camp, Eric right behind him.

Roger didn't fully believe Eric. He wanted to. God knows he wanted to. He wanted nothing more than Jack to kiss him. Roger wanted Jack to treat him how he treated Eric. Maybe not so forceful, but he wanted to be the one who ran around, with orders given to him, and show Jack that he'd do anything for him.

Eric and Ralph didn't play much of a part in Roger's fantasy. Eric would probably still be there, for Roger's frustration, but Ralph would not be there. And if Ralph were there at all, it would be skinned and used as a trophy. But Roger didn't think Ralph was worthy to be a trophy. He'd probably decay and stink the place up.

Roger grinned at the thought of it.

Besides a few pained noises, Eric was silent. Usually Eric was completely silent, to the point were Roger would forget he was walking with him, and when Eric did say something, he'd jump.

Roger hated to show fear. Even if it was just surprise. So when Eric talked, Roger would smack him. Eric learned the lesson fast. Don't talk unless spoken too.

Roger didn't care Eric was sobbing. It was probably just the cuts on his back that was hurting him. Nothing Roger could do about it, anyway.

But Eric was sobbing for himself. He was going to lose Roger. The only person who cared, and didn't at the same time. Roger was protection. Nobody messed with Eric, besides Roger. And Roger he could handle. He liked being beat on by Roger. But now Roger was going to Jack.

Eric knew that if Jack accepted him, Roger would join his side and there was no need for Eric. And he also knew that if Jack denied him, Roger would beat Eric. Probably to death. It was a lose, lose situation.

Still he went with Roger, to the camp, to find Jack.

But Jack wasn't there. The hut was almost finished and Maurice and Robert were looking restless. They were giggling beyond sanity, just from looking at the other. Bill looked like he was ready to stab the pair.

"Where's the Chief?"

All the boys froze at Roger's voice. Roger was still there second in command. He was just absent for a while. He did that a lot, though. He'd take off and come back at will. Usually similar to this: with Eric, bloody, behind him.

Bill was the one to answer. "He's teaching Ralph how to hunt."

Roger threw a look to Eric, who gulped. Sam looked over at Eric, his bloody brother, and frowned. He hated Roger. Roger had messed with Eric. Something in Eric's brain wasn't right. Sam couldn't even feel what Eric was feeling anymore.

If Eric was feeling anything. He looked like a dead person.

"Do you know where?" Roger's voice had such an authoritive boom to it that all the boys answered. They shook their heads.

"Damn it." Roger turned and started to walk toward the stream. If he knew Jack, and he did, that's where he'd take Ralph.


	9. Insanity Heightened

Disclaimer: Sorry it took so long… And I'm sorry if you don't like how this is going. PS: Slash and Torture in this one.

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Jack and Ralph had stopped again. They were sitting across from each other, on their knees, their body covered in water from their mid chests down. They both licked their lips, simultaneously, to get the blood off, and heal the wounds before they kissed again.

"So did you?" Jack's voice sounded off beat, again. Like his old voice shining through.

"Did I what?" Ralph couldn't remember much of anything at that moment. His whole mind was a fuzzy mess of images involving Jack.

Jack grinned and playfully splashed Ralph. "Did you ever kiss anyone like that before?"

Before Ralph had time to catch himself, he started to shake his head. He stopped, as soon as he realized, and blushed. Jack just grinned. "You seem to know what you're doing."

"It comes natural, I guess."

"Yeah."

"Have you?" Jack was expecting the question back, and he shook his head, too. That surprised Ralph.

"I haven't kissed anyone like that before the island."

Ralph suddenly thought of Roger. The way Jack worded it, made it seem like Ralph wasn't the first on the island. And Roger was always really close to Jack. Ralph looked around, expecting to see Roger standing there, with a fruit again, asking if Ralph was Jack's obedient slave yet.

Ralph frowned. He _was_ Jack's obedient slave.

Ralph watched Jack. He was acting like nothing was weird. Two guys just got done kissing, (for the third time in less than twenty-four hours) there was blood on his lips, and he was just washing his shoulders and arms, removing something that wasn't even there.

----------

Roger was storming through the forest, growing fiercer with every step. Every time he slammed his foot down, (angrily, but silently) his eyes grew darker. He knew what he was going to find. The other boys had said it. "Teaching Ralph how to hunt." That was what Jack use to say to the other boys with Roger, too.

"Yes." Jack would say. "We're going down to the stream. Roger's got to improve his aim, if he wants to kill anything. I'm going to teach him how to hunt, better."

Roger never learned anything down by the stream, except how to wrestle. How to force someone down and how to take what he wanted from them. Jack was strong, but he never followed his own rules. "Don't let your emotions control you." He'd said. He meant, of course, that time him and Simon and Ralph went out exploring and he couldn't kill the pig. That was the emotion he was talking about.

But his lust always got the better of him. And one day, it snapped and Jack had kissed Roger. It was only once, because Jack got embarrassed. He said he was sorry, and they never did it again. Roger always wanted to, but forcing the Chief wasn't something he was going to do.

So he got Eric.

Eric was still sobbing, afraid, behind him. He seemed to know too. He knew what was coming.

----------

"We'd be lynched, you know." Jack's voice was strange. Ralph couldn't tell why it was so different, but something about it was. He was scared, Ralph thought.

"Lynched for what?" Ralph ran his fingers over his neck, trying to get some dirt off.

"For snogging, you idiot." Jack laughed, but he believed it.

Ralph scoffed. "We would not. The government doesn't lynch people anymore. I know 'cause my daddy told me."

Jack shrugged, not believing Ralph. "Thank God we're not in Britain. I don't want to get lynched."

"Well then stop kissing me." Ralph grinned, playful as it was, it almost sounded serious. Not a request, because both boys wanted to do that still, but something about it seemed tempting.

"I'm the Chief and I'll do what I want." Jack said, grinning, and kissed Ralph more gently. A way that couldn't be described as savage lust. It was caring… and Ralph enjoyed it.

----------

Roger sighed. All he had to do was step out from behind the tree. The world would either be a lot simpler or a lot bloodier, depending on what he saw. He didn't hear anything but the small waves of the water. Was that a good sign?

Eric wouldn't look either. Roger figured he feared for his own life. But that wasn't it. He knew how angry Roger would be because if Eric's information was false. Eric's body shook. "Run, Eric. RUN!" But he couldn't move. His body yelled, his body cried, but still, no movement came, except for two tears running down his dirty cheeks.

Roger looked.

Ralph was leaning back, one hand on the back of Jack's neck, the other holding himself up. Jack was leaning the same way, but he was facing that direction, pushing down into the kiss. It was the type of kiss Roger use to see in the end of a movie, when the guy finally got the girl. Everything was still, everything was happy. Things were how they should be. But this wasn't how Roger wanted his end to be.

Eric peeked. Jack and Ralph were so involved with each other; they didn't notice the other two. Eric felt the bliss, like heat, coming off the two teenaged boys. Eric looked at Roger.

He wasn't doing anything. He was simply watching. He didn't look mad, or anything. Eric knew better. Roger was in shock. It wouldn't last long.

Roger looked at Eric, suddenly. It was such a quick movement, that Eric jumped. "You lied to me."

"No... Roger... I swear." Eric backed away, tears still running down his dirty face.

"You wanted to make an idiot out of me."

"Roger… please."

"This was all a set up." Roger started at Eric, who continued to back away. "You knew the whole time they were doing this." Eric shook his head, sobbing, but Roger ignored it. "You were waiting… until the perfect chance… then you'd lead me down here and show me them. Because you knew. You knew about Jack 'n me. And you were jealous. You wanted… you wanted me to yourself. Didn't you Eric?"

"Please, Roger. Please." Eric closed his eyes. He'd backed against a tree and he was waiting for the gap to close. The six or seven foot gap between him and his tree and Roger. "I swear… I just wanted you-"

"And you admit it!" It wasn't loud, but full of venom. Roger's eyes narrowed. He didn't have a spear, but the way his hands were placed at his side, ready to attack. His teeth, through bloody, chapped lips, looked more deadly than a dog's fangs.

He raised his hands, ready to pounce on the twin, when the twin's adrenalin finally took control of his brain. He turned and ran, Roger not close enough to have him pinned to the tree, yet. He ran for his life, Roger close behind.

Roger was playing with Eric, of course. Like a cat might play with a mouse before it corners and attacks. Eric had never been a strong runner. He'd never outrun Roger before. He'd tried, once or twice, but always ended like Ralph on the beach: hog tied, dizzy from blood loss, with sand in the wounds.

Eric didn't realize where he was until he almost stepped off. They were at the mountain. Where him and Sam had saw the beast that night. There was no beast, now. There was nothing but ashes and dead trees, and a torn piece of cloth that could have come from anywhere.

The cloth made him think of Simon, and he cried, and turned around to face his death like a man.

Roger was standing there, eyes still filled with a horrific amount of anger, and he was panting. "Step away from the ledge." He said. Eric obeyed. He walked closer to the center, he didn't want to fall off. He'd much rather be beaten. One final beating that he deserved. He always deserved them.

"I'm sorry, Roger." But before Eric could say anymore, Roger was on top of him, punching, scratching, and biting as if his life depended on it.

----------

Jack and Ralph had stopped again. They were use to feeling each other, even if had only been less than twenty-four hours. So many things had happened so quickly. Ralph getting captured, Roger asking if Ralph was Jack's plaything, the hunt for the pig, the slaughter, the party, becoming Jack's plaything, and learning how to hunt all in one day.

It was mind-blowing.

"I never gave you anything for your birthday." Ralph said, looking up at Jack.

Jack winced. "My fourteenth year."

"Your birthday."

"It's not a birthday. I had no cake. I don't even know what _day_ it is. It was not a birthday. Birthdays are for Englishman. We're savages. It was the celebration of me going into my fourteenth year." Jack stayed surprisingly calm as he spoke. Ralph smiled.

"I never gave you anything at the celebration of your fourteenth year."

Jack played with his hands, avoiding eye contact. "Yes, you did. Remember that night?"

Ralph grinned. "I want to give you something that's forever."

"Are you saying your not forever?" Jack looked up at Ralph and grinned too.

"Something materialistic."

"Okay. Fine. What is it?"

Ralph frowned. "It's not done yet." Ralph found himself looking at the Chief's necklace that Roger had made. He found himself angry because he didn't think of the idea first. Anything to make Jack have more of an ego… would be the perfect gift.

That's why his idea was so great.

"So what are you asking for?"

"Some time alone to finish it."

Jack sighed, as though debating whether or not he should let the boy have time alone. It could be used, as he said, to make a present, but who knows what Ralph might try. He might try to build a raft and float home. Another boy might catch Ralph's eye and Jack wouldn't be needed anymore.

Ralph laughed. "I'll stay right here, I promise." His voice lowered. "Besides, I'm actually starting to… well like is the wrong word… but tolerate being here, on this chunk of hell… with you."

Jack grinned. "I _like_ it here."

"I know you do."

Jack stood up. "Promise you're not going to go and hurt yourself or try to leave or something? I don't want to hunt you down again, but if I have to, I will." Jack raised his eyebrows in a suggestive way. "And then I'll have to wrestle you down again."

Ralph laughed. "But I can fight back now."

Jack grinned. "True, true. I'll leave you be… but… be careful, okay?" Jack's eyes shown his concern, but before he started talking again, he turned and walked back up to Castle Rock.

Ralph was alone, at last.

He sighed and got out of the water, shaking like a dog to try and dry himself off a little. He ran his fingers through his hair, and got the spear that Jack had thrown down earlier. He walked back to the stream, found a rock, and started to hack off the sharp part of the spear.

Then, he used a smaller rock to carve out an indent in the middle of it. He dug in his pocket, in what was left with the pants he came to shore with, and got out the sharp rock that he'd been sharpening while the hut was being built. He was surprised he didn't get hurt on it, when him and Jack were wrestling.

He slid the sharp rock in the new slit in the spear, and used a vine to tie it together.

_That _was a spear. Damage could be done a lot easier with this thing, than a sharpened stick.

Then he heard applause.

The clapping was slow, mocking him. He looked around, and saw Roger step out from behind a tree. Roger was bloody. There was blood on his chest, and arms, and fingers. It was in his hair, and all over his face. His legs didn't have much on them. Ralph looked. It looked… _splattered_. Ralph couldn't find an actual wound hole. He felt sick. That wasn't Roger's blood.

"You think you're cleaver… don't you Ralphie?" Roger stood across the stream, ten feet away. Ralph clenched the spear in his hands.

"Any idiot can tie a rock to a stick. Jack will be unimpressed."

Ralph frowned. He liked it. He thought Jack would like it too.

"You're quiet for once." Roger started across the stream. Ralph backed up instinctively. "Quiet suits you. You're more _attractive_ with your mouth shut." Ralph whimpered but Roger kept walking forward until Ralph, like Eric was before, was pinned against a tree.

Roger didn't waste his chance, this time. His hands had pinned Ralph to the tree, grabbed the spear, and yanked it from his hands, all in a fraction of a second. Ralph closed his eyes, knowing he was going to die.

Death wasn't what he felt.

Roger had cut, with Ralph's spear, down Ralph's chest, making a gash almost identical to the one he gave Eric. His new trademark slash. Ralph winced. He understood now. He wasn't going to die instantly. If he died, it would be slow… from blood loss.

Ralph was pulled down from the tree and he landed on his back, cutting it on something. He winced again. "Open your eyes. Take it like a man."

Ralph opened his eyes. Roger was sitting on him, playing with the blood like a small child might play with a puddle. Sticking his dirty hands in it, feeling it. Ralph tried to move, but Roger wasn't like Jack.

Though Roger was clearly enjoying this, he wouldn't get distracted. Roger wouldn't let Ralph on top. Roger leaned down and Ralph could feel his breath on the wound. He groaned, getting dizzy from blood loss. Then he felt another shock of pain run through his body. He forced his head up to look.

Roger was licking the wound.

Ralph rocked again, trying to get Roger off. Roger just brought his face up, looking like a rabid dog that just killed and ate some animal. Roger wiped his mouth and grinned. "Let's see… Ralphie. Let's see why Jack chose you and not me."

Ralph couldn't understand what he was talking about until Roger was kissing him. He tried to fight back, shaking his head, fighting, but Roger just gripped Ralph's hair in his hands, so any movement at all caused pain.

Roger forced his tongue into Ralph's mouth, and Ralph felt tears form in his eyes. He shut them, trying to block it out. He bit down, biting Roger's tongue. That was enough to get him to back away.

Roger sat and wiped his mouth again, before spitting blood off to one side of Ralph. Ralph shook again, but Roger kept him down.

"My blood's not as good as yours."

"Leave me alone, Roger." Ralph's voice was fading, as with his consciousness.

"What are you going to do about it?" Roger sneered, his hands on Ralph's shoulders, keeping him down. Roger knew Ralph was loosing a lot of blood. Not enough to kill him, yet, but that would happen if he didn't get it bandaged up.

Like Eric… that once.

Suddenly, Ralph had a realization.

"You killed Eric, didn't you?"

Roger grinned and Ralph could feel Roger's legs loosen around his hips. "Maybe." He answered like if his mother just accused him of taking the last cookie.

Ralph shook his head. "You're disgusting."

"I need a new plaything. How about you, Ralphie? You seem to be good enough for _Jack._" Roger dug his thumbs into Ralph's wound as he said Jack.

Ralph groaned.

Roger laughed like a child at Christmas time. "Are you scared?"

Ralph didn't answer and he felt Roger's legs loosen once more.

"Are you afraid of dying?" No reply, so Roger continued with. "I'm not."

Ralph was breathing heavily. Roger knew he was going to pass out soon. He grinned and waited. But that's not what happened, exactly. Ralph, having fooled Roger into think he was woozier than he was (and he was quite woozy without faking) took the spear that was laying on the ground, and swung it at Roger. Roger jumped up and out of the way, but got a small slice on his forearm from it.

Ralph got up, and heard something. "Jack?" He yelled. "JACK!"

Roger jumped on him, pinning him to the tree, banging Ralph's head against the bark. Ralph groaned. "You can't always call your boyfriend to fight your wars for you… I'll be back."

And with that, Roger ran off, in the same direction he came, and Ralph fell to the ground. He gasped a few more short breaths of air, and heard some boys talking. Maurice was one of them. "Is that Ralph?"

"Ralph! Hang on!"

"Go get Jack!"

How many where there? Colored blurbs ran in every direction and Maurice leaned over, rubbing a piece of damp cloth over Ralph's forehead. "Hang on, Ralph…"

But Ralph slid from consciousness.

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(NA: Sorry that took so long. I think there's only one more chapter. Two at the most, but probably only one. Pleeeeease review and tell me what you think, and where you think it's going to go. You never know… that might just happen. )


	10. The Confession

Disclaimer: I don't own. Okay, it took a REALLY long time again. I'm really sorry for that. I keep changing how many chapters I'm going to have. XD One or two more. I think. Probably two… But anyway.. Thank you to everyone who's made my life seem like it had a purpose. (All of you who reviewed. I LOVE YOU ALL! And the second half is better than the first, I think.

And also thanks to Hippie. The person that has never actually read Lord of the Flies, and pictures them all emo, but bugged me every single day to finish this chapter. Thanks for the motivation. XD

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Fury was something Jack was beyond. He couldn't think of a word to describe how he was feeling. A strange mix between anger and worry. It was horrible… this feeling. Jack was sitting next to Ralph, in his cave. The fire was burning, but it was cold. Or maybe the cold was all in Jack's head.

But Ralph was shivering too. He had what was left of Jack's black choir uniform used to stop the blood. It was working. The black material was now a sickening red color. Jack didn't remember blood ever looking like this.

He'd thrown up twice, already and he felt it coming over him again.

He ran outside and behind the cave, to a patch of grass he'd used before. He hardly made it. He realized he was making himself sick. He couldn't keep food down, and now all that was coming out was water. He was only making himself dehydrated.

Jack wiped his mouth and stood up. He got a head rush, and almost passed out. He fell to his hands and knees, bowing his head, eyes opened wide. He blinked, but his eyes were black. He couldn't see. "M-Maurice?" He called out, but by the time the boy got over to him, he could see again.

"My God, Chief." Maurice ran over and tried to help up Jack. He tried pulling him up by the arm, but Jack smacked at him.

"Can you go get me some water? And where's Roger been?"

Maurice frowned slightly. Jack didn't appear to know that it was Roger who cut Ralph… but who was Maurice to tell him? Maurice left Jack to get some coconuts full of water and Jack crawled back to the cave, collapsing next to Ralph.

"Look what you're doing to me." He groaned, holding his stomach. He was starving, but he couldn't keep anything down. "Get better, you bastard. I don't want my tribe to see me like this."

It could have been deliria setting in, but he thought he saw Ralph smile.

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Sam and Bill had found Eric. Whether he was alive or not, was anyone's guess, except Sam's. Sam swore he was alive. "He's still warm. He's still breathing. Bill, help me make a stretcher." Sam had a pile of clothes with him, what was left of his and Eric's shirt. He knew when Eric didn't come back, and when they found Ralph that Eric must be out there, hurt too.

He cleaned the wounds as best as he could before wrapping them.

"You'll be okay. We'll find Roger…" Sam said through sobs. "Eric? Are you waking up?"

Something must have shown Sam that Eric was waking up that Bill didn't see, because he dropped to his brothers side, and sobbed some more.

Eric made a small noise, must be.

"Don't talk, Eric." Sam sounded ecstatic. "Bill… Where's Jack?"

"You know where Jack is. Jack hasn't left Ralph's side… except… for… you know."

They all knew Jack was making himself sick. They didn't dare talk about it, because it was a sign of weakness, showing such compassion. Though, they couldn't help feeling sad for Jack. They all knew about Jack and Ralph, too. Another thing they didn't dare talk about.

"We gotta get Eric back. He's still alive." Sam started to cry again. The tears splashed down on his brother.

Bill sighed. "He's so bad… I'm afraid to move him… he might break."

"Don't say that! Don't ever say that! He's my brother!"

Sam ran his hands over Eric's arm. It wasn't bleeding, but it was bruised. It was so hard to look at him. To look at his brother and know that the person Eric… loved… did this to him. If only Eric hadn't told. They'd all be better. Roger might not have done… this.

"Oh, Eric."

This reminded Sam of a time when they were smaller. Eric had some virus and the doctors didn't know what it was. They didn't expect him to live. Sam sat next to Eric the entire time, even though he could have caught it, hoping his brother would get better. And Eric did. He survived that virus… so why wouldn't he survive this, now?

Bill's voice was quiet. "He's lost a lot of blood. You saw him… He's cut all over. Where he wasn't bleeding, he was bruised. He was beaten. Someone wanted him dead… I think."

"It was Roger!" Sam sobbed. Tears splashed on Eric's chest. "Roger did this to him."

Bill frowned. "Let's bring him to Jack. He'll know what to do…" And the boys moved Eric, carefully, onto the stretcher Bill had made.

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Normally Maurice wouldn't go into Jack's cave. Especially with Ralph in there… but he knew Ralph was sleeping and the Chief was in desperate need of water, so he walked in. "Chief?" He whispered. He found Jack passed out on the floor.

Maurice grinned. Both boys looked like they'd rather be dead than alive, on the island, in this damp cave. However, both were staying alive for each other. It was _cute_.

"Rise and shine, Jackie." He said, kneeling down next to Jack, shaking him slightly.

Jack moaned and Maurice couldn't help but giggle.

"Get up and drink this."

Jack rubbed his eyes and started to sit up. He only got about half way, before his stomach and arms gave out and he fell back down. Maurice dropped one of the coconuts of water to catch Jack so he didn't bang his head hard and get a concussion. "Come on, Jackie. You gotta drink this."

Jack groaned so Maurice moved over, so Jack's back was leaning against Maurice's chest, and he helped Jack drink the water. Jack coughed a lot, his body already rejecting it. Maurice hummed Jack's favorite choir song to try and comfort him.

Maurice looked at Ralph. It had only been a few hours sense they found him, but he was looking better. He thought, for a minute, that he should maybe change the bandaging on the wounds, but when he looked down at the Chief sleeping on his chest, he thought better of it.

It wasn't because he'd rather baby Jack than Ralph… because he'd baby Ralph too, if Jack would let him. Maurice pushed some hair out of Jack's face. He didn't help Ralph because he knew Jack wanted to do it. Jack would probably throw Maurice off a cliff if he did.

"It's the bloody handprints, Jackie." He grinned, but moved from underneath his Chief and slowly laid him down next to Ralph. Robert walked in as he was laying him down.

"How is he?"

"He'll be okay, but he's worried sick about Ralph. Once Ralph wakes up, Jack'll get better, I think. I don't think he knows it's Roger that did it though." Maurice stood up and walked over to Robert, wrapping his arms around him, burying his head in his shoulder. "Poor guy."

Robert let his hands loosely hang around Maurice. "How doesn't he know?" He looked over his shoulder at Jack. Jack groaned and rolled onto his side and started coughing. "Everyone knows that only Roger makes that type of wound… like an autopsy or something."

"An autopsy on the living."

Robert shuttered and Maurice looked up at him. Maurice was taller than Robert, by less than an inch, and Robert felt himself blush. Maurice grinned and put his forehead on the other boy's. "It makes me glad that I've got you… that I'm not the Chief's plaything."

Robert's eyes closed halfway, "Why's that?"

"Roger won't hurt us… he hasn't got reason too. He likes Jack. So if he needs to hurt someone it would be Eric or Ralph or the Chief."

Robert nodded and Maurice leaned forward, closing his eyes, kissing him for a second before he heard Sam sobbing outside. Maurice broke the kiss with a frustrated noise, and moved the skin door away so he could see the boy. "What do you want, Sam?"

Maurice's jaw dropped and he felt Robert tense next to him. "My God…" It was a body… a body on a stretcher. Bill and Sam must have made it, and got a few other boys to help them carry it. At first, Maurice couldn't tell who it was. But another look at Sam told him. The pile of bloody clothes was Eric.

Robert's hand grabbed onto Maurice's shoulder, and he looked down. "What the hell happened to him?"

"Let me see…" Jack was on his feet again, leaning against the wall of the cave, trying to pretend like his knees weren't shaking from lack of hydration.

Robert and Maurice moved to the side and Jack slowly made his way out. Maurice and Robert followed, just incase he passed out and fell. Sam was sobbing again, looking at Jack's feet, scared. He always knew Jack and Roger were friends… he didn't want Jack to just… finish off Eric.

"What happened?"

"We found him like this, Chief." Bill said, finally making eye contact with Jack. "We found him on the Mountain where the beast was. I think he was beaten."

"Of course he was beaten…" Jack rolled his eyes. "Put him in the cave, okay?"

Bill and Sam led the boys into the cave, but Maurice and Robert stayed out. Jack looked at them. "You know who did it. Why don't you tell me?" His eyes narrowed, but it was halfheartedly, like he knew, he just needed confirmation.

Maurice sighed and put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "Who's the only bigun that's not here right now?"

Jack frowned and shrugged Maurice's hand off his shoulder. "Will you go get some more water… and some fruit?" The two boys nodded and walked off.

Bill and the hunters came out. "Sam won't come out, Chief. He's staying by Eric… if that bloody mass of practically dead organs could have a name."

"Don't be morbid." Jack said, sounding like he didn't care. "I want you guys to finish the hut… make it good, but do it quickly. The sooner it gets done the sooner those two can get out of the cold cave. It will help them." They nodded and ran off to the half finished hut, as Jack walked inside.

Sure enough, Sam was sitting by Eric, whose breathing had gotten deeper. His chest rose and fell more painfully. Jack shuddered and laid down next to Ralph. The smell of blood in his cave only further made him want to throw up. He closed his eyes, trying to block it out. It didn't work. As soon as he got up to go outside, Ralph mumbled. "Where are you going Jack?"

Jack was so happy he was talking, he sat down next to him, completely forgetting about his sickness. "I wasn't going anywhere." Ralph held up his hand as much as he could and Jack took it in both of his, grinning. "Hurry up and get better, Ralph. We need you."

"For what?" Ralph's eyes opened slightly. "Is it Eric?"

"What?" Jack asked, surprised.

"Roger got Eric too… he's alive, right?"

"Yeah." Jack said quietly, looking over his shoulder at Sam, who was calming down. He looked so small. Jack leaned over Ralph and whispered in his ear. "How'd you know that?"

"When… Roger came to where I was he was already all bloody." Ralph shut his eyes, again. "I'm going back to sleep… okay?" His voice was strained.

"Anything you want…" Jack said, kissing Ralph's forehead as he fell back to sleep, with Jack much more relieved.

After a few minutes, Maurice walked in with Robert following him. "Here you are, Chief. Try to eat something." Maurice handed Jack two coconuts filled with water and some fruit.

Jack took them and said. "Robert give yours to Sam. Sam… you have to eat." Jack knew, first hand, what would happen to him if he didn't, and Jack bit into one of the fruit. Sam took the water and drank it slowly, but laid down next to Eric. "Now you two help them build the hunt." Jack said after swallowing his food. He felt better already.

After Jack finished his fruit and took a sip of the water, he laid down.

----------

Jack sat on the ledge, facing the other camp. He watched Ralph pick up some dry logs for a fire. Samneric were down there, too. With Piggy. God, how he hated Piggy. Ralph's world revolved around that fat asshole.

Jack looked behind him and saw Roger walk up to him. "Maurice wanted to know when you wanted to go hunting." Jack looked back at Ralph. He knew Maurice didn't ask that… but Roger felt the need to have a reason to be in Jack's presents. That made Jack feel good.

"Watching the enemy again, Chief?" Roger sat down next to Jack. Jack knew he was happy because of the night before. It wasn't much of a kiss, really. But Jack got lonely and Roger always let him kiss him.

"Yeah." Jack mumbled, studying the way Ralph's back muscles rippled when he lifted firewood.

Roger swung his feet and played with his loose tooth. "How's Eric?" Jack asked, turning his eyes to the twins. Eric kept looking behind him, but never right at where the two were. Like he knew they were watching, but didn't know from where.

Roger made a small coughing noise. "What? Why do you ask me?"

"Isn't he your toy?" Jack looked up at Roger.

Roger shook his head. "I am loyal to my chief." Jack just grinned and looked back at Ralph.

"What if your Chief wasn't loyal to himself?"

"What?"

"Nothing, Roger. Just talking to myself." Jack waited a few more minutes before he pushed Roger further. "Eric looks beaten."

"He probably fell."

"Looks like spear wounds."

Roger stood up, ready to defend himself. "Do you want me to prove my loyalty?"

Jack stood up too. "Yes, I do. Let's go." Jack stomach turned with that feeling of guilt he always got before he led Roger on. He walked off into the forest. "Gunna teach him how to hunt." He said to the boys, and when they got to the stream, it was hardly a second before the two were joined violently at the mouth.

Both boys were kissing, licking and biting for dominance, but in the end, Jack won as he wrestled Roger down. As he got Roger down, Roger grinned and turned into Ralph. Ralph looked scared to be under Jack like that and he started to fight and yell. Suddenly Roger was next to them, kneeling. "I'll cut him for you." He held the knife at Ralph's throat, and started slicing.

"Stop, Roger!"

Roger didn't stop. He cut a line, not enough to kill Ralph, but enough to distract him and Jack. Roger dropped the knife and tackled Jack, and wrestled him down, keeping him pinned with his whole body. "You're mine, Jack Merridew. This island wouldn't be yours without me."

Roger leaned down and they kissed violently again. Except this time, Jack didn't feel guilty. He felt like he was in love. All of the feelings of love he'd ever known, every happy feeling came to his surface and he was happy to be here, kissing Roger.

----------

Jack woke up, with his heart was beating thick in his chest. He felt guilty. After all of it, after Roger killed Piggy, hurt Ralph and tortured Eric, he could still feel this… thing. The thing he'd always felt for Ralph. It was true. Roger was always there, but it was always Ralph that Jack wanted. Roger knew that.

Roger was the best second place anyone could ever ask for. Even dreams got Jack feeling like his old self again.

"Jack?" Ralph sat up, groaning. His chest muscled moved to try and help the pain, but the whole gash hurt. "Jack, what's wrong?"

Jack felt sick again… sick with guilt. "Nothing. I'm fine." He looked at Ralph; the way his hair fell into his face, the shade of his eyes from the fire, his chest wrapped in black cloth, which had a long bloodline down the front of it. He felt like he'd betrayed him.

"Jack…?"

"I said I'm fine, Ralph." He yelled. Surprisingly, neither twin woke up, if Eric was going to wake up at all. Something jumped in Ralph's eyes and made him cower slightly, away from Jack, and whimper. It wasn't like Ralph to do that, but from being treated so well lately, the thought of the old Jack returning scared him.

The savage in Jack's eyes died down as he put his hands on Ralph's shoulders. "Do… do you remember that time that we fought? Right before Rog-… Right before Piggy d-… Right before…"

"I remember." Ralph said; he was still avoiding Jack's eyes.

"Nobody ever really mentioned it… but I felt it. I was just playing with you. Like a cat might play with a mouse. Tackling you, rolling around with you… I liked it." Ralph looked up at Jack, their eyes met. "But then you started to beat me. You got good swings in, you blocked my spear… even though it wasn't meant to really hurt you, you did. And you never practiced. I always practiced and you could have beaten me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I felt so stupid." Jack shook Ralph. "Fighting against you… but I had to. You know I did. What would the tribe say? 'Just take it easy on him, _Jackie_. Just take it easy on your boyfriend.'" Ralph blushed. "Do you know how hard it was to live at a camp with Rog-… with some of those boys and be away from you? And the whole time… I'd sit there with Rog—with those boys and I'd wonder how I'd ever be able to be your friend again."

Ralph opened his mouth to speak but Jack went on. "It only got worse. I felt the need to show you up to impress you. If I were Chief, you'd realize I was worth something. But I just pissed you off. If I invited you to our feast, you'd see how fun I could be. But Simon… oh, God."

Jack looked weird, like he was telling his whole life story, and all this baggage had finally decided to spill out.

"So you hated me more. So… we stole Piggy's glasses. Well, we needed fire, too. But I just… I thought Piggy was the problem." Jack's voice was shaking. "I thought you… and him… and… I don't know. It was just so hard Ralph. None of them had to die. Nobody had to get hurt… I'm so stupid. I'm just a savage. I shouldn't have tried to impress you. I mean… I always knew you wouldn't like me back… how could you?" Jack's hand went up to Ralph's cheek. Ralph realized he was crying. Jack's hand brushed away a tear.

"I did, though. I did like you back."

Jack forced a smiled. "Well, you do now."

"I… I mean back then. All the way back then. From the time we walked on the beach together… do you remember it? It was only week or so after we got here. You said you were glad that we had no parents and teachers on the island. You said you were glad there were no girls." Jack blushed. "Then you said, 'Not that I would mind… of course. Then we could all get some.' But something about you saying that…"

"A quick cover up… I'd almost let it slip."

"No. I mean about the getting some. I'd never done anything like that before so my mind was trying to get an idea and the whole time I could only think of you…"

Jack laughed and put his forehead on Ralph's, and for a minute, they both laughed, but Jack's laughing turned forced, to keep himself from sobbing. "J-Jack had Roger sharpen a stick at both ends." Jack muttered.

"What?"

"That's what Eric said to you the night before we got you. 'Jack had Roger sharpen a stick at both ends.' I was listening, you know. How I hated Eric for that. True, I told Roger to sharpen a stick at both ends for you. But… I didn't think Roger would ever actually do anything to you. And Eric made me sound like the bad guy again." Jack sniffed hard and Ralph felt his hands clench his shoulders harder. "I knew… Ralph. I knew where you were hiding the whole time… but because I was mad at Eric… I let Roger… I let Roger…"

Jack's head moved to Ralph's shoulder and his back shook from his confession, silently sobbing. "Oh, God." He muttered. Ralph looked over his shoulder at the twins. Eric was breathing, he could see that much, but whether or not he'd be breathing in the morning was as good of a guess as anyone's. Roger didn't have any intention of killing Ralph, but Eric… did he want to kill Eric?

"And because I let Roger take Eric off into the night… Eric formed some bond with him somehow. Eric was forever his obedient puppy. I bet you when he gets better he'll go look for Roger. If Roger wants him back, he'll take him. If Roger's mad that Eric didn't die, he'll kill himself."

Ralph was… shocked really. He didn't know Eric was so far gone.

"It's all my fault." Jack's back shook again and Ralph ran his hands over it, trying to calm him down. "I… knew. I knew that Eric was like that. I knew Roger treated him like shit and that Eric still liked him. And I think… deep down. Roger liked Eric too. That's why I thought Roger wouldn't mind if I… kept you."

"Kept me?"

"When I told Roger to bind you… I kept you. They all expected me to kill you. And look where that got us." He brought his head up and smiled. "You've got Roger's Mark and I've lost my mind. I didn't think Roger would care. He had Eric… why couldn't I have you?"

"What do you mean… Roger wouldn't mind?" Ralph knew, really. He knew that Jack and Roger had… something… before Ralph, but he wanted to know what.

"Roger was perfect to fill your spot. Just like I thought Eric was perfect for Roger. If I told Roger to do something, he'd do it. If I wanted to… If we…" Jack blushed and moved in, kissing Ralph quickly. "That. If I wanted that. He was always more than happy to give me what I wanted. That's why I thought he'd be happy bossing Eric around… so I could have you. But… He wasn't. Poor Eric… Poor you. I'm sorry Roger did that to you…"

"Chief?" Maurice's voice called from outside. "The hut's finished."


	11. Visiting

Disclaimer: Don't own. This one was quicker and it's shorter than the last one. I don't know how long until the next one, but I'll try real hard to get it up soon. (I don't know how many more chapters either. I won't know until it's over… I guess. XD)

And reviews motivate me greatly.

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Roger didn't have the epiphany that Jack had. Branding Ralph was just stage one of his multi-stage plan that he was currently trying to work out. He looked out at the waves, sitting back against the cave wall where the waves wouldn't reach him. He smiled.

Whenever Ralph walked anywhere, for the rest of his life, whether they were rescued or not, the boys from the island would know what happened to Ralph. Ralph was always going to have Roger's mark on him, and although he didn't tell, and he knew Ralph wouldn't, the boys knew that was his sign of having some involvement, sexually, with Roger. Ralph's involvement may only have been a forced kiss and a bit of mixed blood, but the boys didn't know that.

For all they were concerned, Roger though, Ralph was his new plaything.

He watched the waves crash a bit, and his spirits dropped slightly. His eyes fell to the spot he found Eric sleeping not long before. He sort of felt bad for what he did for Eric. Without Eric, he was now forced into complete solitude and unable to get his accessed anger out on anyone, though at the current moment he had none.

Between Ralph and Eric, his pent up anger got unleashed.

Roger nuzzled his back against the cave, his hair falling over his eyes. He knew Eric would live. He knew everything about Eric. Well, okay. He didn't know every detail of Eric's childhood, but what mattered on the island was not memories, it was the way to get one boy to do your bidding. Roger knew Eric was a sucker for a nice, seemingly meaningful kiss.

And just before Eric was completely unconscious, Roger had kissed Eric. That was enough for Eric to keep fighting to live. Besides, Roger only wanted Eric to serve as a warning. "You mess with Roger, and you'll get the double sided spear." He said out loud, smirking to himself.

Then he got angry. Why did he have to go and hurt Eric like that? He didn't need to do anything to Eric, but he was just so _angry_ at Jack. It wasn't fair. After all Roger had done for Jack, Jack ditched him for a pretty blonde face with a boxer build. Roger knew what he looked like when he flexed his muscles, and he thought about it with his eyes closed. He had muscles, but they weren't like a boxer's.

He wasn't like Ralph.

His confidence fell and he wallowed in his depression again. Jack was sure to hate him, but he didn't really feel bad about that. Jack wasn't the guy he thought he was. Jack went soft when he didn't kill Ralph. He was always mixing pleasure with business. But Eric… Eric would need time but Eric would come back to Roger. Roger didn't want to wait. Deep in his mind he wanted Eric to be with him now. To tell him, 'It's okay, Roger. Jack doesn't know what he's missing.'

He sank lower, trying to force his mind on something else, but when his eyes were closed, all he could see was the stupid way Eric smiled after a kiss, his eyes begging for more, but his mouth stayed silent, never asking. He was _lonely_ without Eric. "Stop that." He said to himself. "You don't need anything. You don't need anybody. You never did before and you never will."

He thought about sneaking back to see Eric, he knew the other boys had found him by now and that stupid brother of his was probably nursing him back to health. Roger smirked.

He would give Jack credit. When Jack let Roger take Eric off into the woods, he was definitely giving Roger the better twin. True, Eric liked boys, but he didn't act like such a poof. He didn't go around crying all the time, like Sam did.

Roger decided he would sneak back and see Eric… but not just yet. He had to wait for the perfect moment.

----------

Ralph wanted out. He was able to move about, and he was getting restless in the cave. They'd already moved Eric to the hut, but Jack insisted Ralph stay in the cave, unmoving. He said something about how he didn't want Ralph to tear open the wound anymore, but Ralph wasn't listening.

He needed to get out for some fresh air.

"Ralph, please." Jack said. He was still behaving strangely. He had for about two nights, now, ever sense their talk. Like he was being super thoughtful for Ralph's well being. Ralph didn't like being babied.

"Jack…" Ralph said, smiling innocently. "All I want to do is get a drink. You can come with me, if you want."

Jack thought about it, but Ralph started to stand, using the wall for support. It wasn't that he was still in a lot of pain, just sitting there, the wound had scabbed by now, but it was so long, over different muscles, that if he moved his torso the wrong way, it felt like hot knives were being stabbed into the wounds.

Jack walked over to Ralph and grabbed his arm, keeping him steady. "Easy, Ralph. It's not a race."

Ralph laughed. "For God's sakes, Jack. You're not my mother."

Jack blushed and stepped away, but Ralph walked over to him, putting his arms on his shoulders, putting there foreheads together. "I understand your concern, but I'm fine." Ralph smiled, his eyes shutting halfway. Ralph had that dreamy absent look on his face that he always got before they kissed. Jack blushed a little more and Ralph leaned forward and kissed Jack.

Jack was so use to being the dominate one that whenever Ralph made any move at all on him, he got nervous. He wasn't use to being treated in such a way, and now that they had the cave to themselves, they were free to kiss whenever without Sam watching.

And Sam always did.

Ralph managed to get Jack against a wall. Jack grunted, with hitting it, and Ralph grinned. Ralph's hand moved up Jack's neck, and to his chin, tilting it upward, making the kiss deeper.

Jack groaned and Ralph felt his hands snake around his waist, pulling the younger boy closer.

"Jack and Ralph, I swear to God if I walk in there and you're doing something you shouldn't I'll beat you both!" Maurice yelled and he and Robert giggled.

Ralph moved away, and Jack groaned, similar to the way Maurice did when Sam came to the door. "What do you want, Maurice?"

Maurice moved the pig skin door to one side and walked in, Robert behind him. "You groan loudly, Jack. I'm sure Roger heard it… wherever he's hiding."

Jack blushed slightly and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, over exaggerating how the kiss had been, with a grin. Had it been a week ago, Maurice would have been yelled at for such words toward the Chief, but Ralph had really settled Jack down. "What do you want?"

"Well I just wanted to say, I've personal checked everywhere for our sadistic best friend." His eyes fell to Ralph's chest and Ralph looked away, blushing. "And we can't find him. He must have a really good hide out on the island."

"How's Eric doing?" Jack said, looking at Ralph. He grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer, but turning him a little so his wound was out of Maurice's eye sight.

Maurice watched Jack turn him, but he wanted a good look at it. He wanted to know what Roger had done to Ralph, but he didn't even tell Jack. If he wouldn't tell Jack, he wouldn't tell anyone.

Maurice's eyes fell back on Jack. "He's doing better… I mean. He woke up for a little while today but he just rambled on saying things like, 'Where are you? What's wrong with your eyes?' Over and over again. Sam kept saying, 'I'm here, Eric, I'm here.' But that just made Eric angry. He thrashed around a bit and Bill had to help Sam hold him down. 'Where are you? Where are you?'" Maurice threw his hands in the air, waving them around, imitating Eric.

"So he's no help, yet. He better hurry up and get better before Roger comes back to camp and finishes him off." Jack looked at Ralph. Ralph was still looking down, but had put one of his hands on the one Jack had put on his arm. Jack smiled.

"What do you mean, Chief?" Robert asked.

Jack looked at Robert, his smile fading. "I mean… once Eric gets better he'll lead us right to Roger. I know Eric knows where Roger's hiding. Even if he won't tell us, he'll sneak away in the night and we'll follow him."

"What makes you so sure?" Maurice said.

"I just know." Jack's hand brushed away something on Ralph's shoulder that wasn't really there, just an excuse to touch him, really. They stood in silence for a few seconds before Maurice grinned.

"Fine, fine. We'll let you get back to your steaming snogging session." Ralph opened his mouth to object but Jack grinned.

"About time."

"But I want to go out, Jack." Ralph protested.

"Go out?" Jack played. "You think I'm just kissing you without commitment?"

"Don't be stupid. I want to go to the river." Ralph grinned.

Jack shook his head, his hair flying everywhere. "But Roger… He's still out there. What if he comes back for you?"

Robert looked down, blushing. "If you want me and Maurice to go with you, we will Chief. I know you could take on Roger alone, but… we'll go if you want us too."

Jack frowned and looked at Ralph.

"See. They're my body guards." Ralph smiled.

Jack grinned. "What does that make me?"

"Jack Merridew: king of the island, slaughterer of the pigs, the best fighter the likes of this island's ever seen!" Ralph threw his arms around, exaggerating every word. Maurice and Robert giggled.

Jack grinned, obviously liking the complement, even if it was meant to pick on him and said, "Fine, let's go."

----------

Eric had fallen back to sleep, thank God. Sam was exhausted from trying to keep his brother still, but he still had enough energy to cry. It wasn't fair. Sam always loved his brother, and Eric always loved him back. Love thy brother! It was what they were always taught. But this stupid island was changing everything. Sam never felt so alone before.

He laid down next to Eric, his brother's hand was twitching slightly and Sam put his hand over it, and it stopped. A small frown went across Eric's face. "Sammy? Where's mama?"

Sam sniffled. "Mama's at home Eric. We're all alone here. It's just us…"

Eric shook his head. "Not alone. Where is he, Sammy?" Sam frowned; his family hadn't called him Sammy since he was six. "Can't you get him for me?" His voice died down and he rolled over, facing his brother and sighed.

Sam watched. Eric coughed slightly, but no blood came out. His eyes remained closed, but his hand tightened around Sam's. "Remember the time we got lost?" Sam looked confused; he couldn't remember ever being lost. "Lost on an island." Eric smiled.

Sam felt tears choke in his throat. He didn't say anything.

"I remember. I got hurt on the island a lot because I did stupid things. I was punished. Bad, Eric, Bad." Eric made an effort to slap himself. Sam caught his hand and brought it down.

"Eric, stop. Go to sleep."

"I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have told _him_. I knew it was a lie. I told him 'cause I liked him." He rolled back onto his back, trying to pull his arms from Sam's grasp. "Where is he? I have to apologize."

"Bill! He's doing it again!" Sam yelled looking out the hut's door.

"I want Roger!" Eric yelled, his eyes opened, but they didn't look the same. They were glazed over, like he was drugged or something. Sam tried desperately to hold Eric down, but Eric started punching. "Get off me, Sam! I'm going back to Roger!" He rolled onto his stomach and tried to stand, halfway to his feet, his knees gave out and he fell back on the ground, passed out, looking peaceful again.

Bill rushed in, but seeing Eric sleeping, he smiled. "See, you calmed him down. Good Job, Sam." Bill grinned again and walked out.

Sam brought his knees to his chest and put his head down, wrapping his arms around his hands and started sobbing.

----------

Maurice and Robert walked in front of Jack and Ralph. Jack kept looking over at Ralph, like he expected him to pass out on every step. Ralph was walking weird, hunched over slightly, his arms around his stomach, but it was just a failed attempt to not tighten his muscles.

Ralph groaned and straightened himself up, but that hurt just as bad.

"Do you want to rest?" Jack whispered in his ear, taking Ralph's arm in his hand, pulling him to a stop, and spinning him to face him. His other hand quickly went to Ralph's other arm, so he had to look at Jack.

Ralph grinned, putting his hands around Jack's waist, putting their foreheads together, again. "Jack, I swear I'm fine."

Jack ran his hands up Ralph's arms and tilted his head, leaning in to kiss Ralph.

"Hey, you two! Can't you keep off each other for five minutes to get to the stream?" Maurice called, laughing. Robert wolf whistled at the two.

Jack grumbled and moved away, keeping his hand on Ralph's arm, and the two of them, again followed Maurice and Robert.

"I don't see why you should care. I mean, I am your Chief and I don't yell at you when I see you two kissing."

Maurice giggled and Robert blushed. "When have you ever seen us kiss, Jack? That is the point. When we do something, we don't do it in front of people."

Jack laughed, pulling Ralph closer, putting his arm around his waist. "Oh yeah? What about that night Sam found Eric? Right before Sam came you two were snogging… right in our cave!"

Robert blushed worse and Maurice was momentarily quiet, searching for words.

"Yeah? What now. Besides, I know you like it." Jack laughed as they reached the stream. Ralph walked over, quickly, and cupped some water in his hands and splashed his face, Jack stayed back, watching him, with a goofy grin on his face.

Maurice walked up to Jack and put his arm over his shoulder, grinning at him. "Why don't you join him?" Maurice said it quietly, so only he, Jack, and Robert could hear.

Jack blushed and looked at Maurice. He had a weird glint in his eyes, like an idea was forming.

----------

Roger couldn't stand being alone with the sound of waves, without Eric's soft breathing. He knew Eric was still alive, he could feel it, but he kept forcing himself to think he was dead, trying to confuse himself into going to check on him. It didn't take long. He poked his head out of the cave, gripping his spear tightly.

He knew nobody would be there. Only he and Eric knew about it, but still his heart speed went up slightly at stepping into Jack's land after branding his lover.

He scowled and started out, silently, through the woods to the camp. It wasn't a long walk, really, and Roger was the second best hunter on the island. Speed and agility came with the package. Once, he heard a group of boys laughing and talking and he noticed them to be Jack, Ralph, Maurice and Robert. He had to force himself to carry on to the camp, and not jump out and further attack Ralph.

Though he did think the scab up Ralph's chest looked good on him.

Roger made his way up to the camp and he stayed in the shadows, watching the surrounding area. He waited a few minutes, nobody seemed to be around. Four of the boys were at the river and he was sure the others wouldn't hang around Eric… well… besides Sam.

He crept out slowly, with the skill of a hunter, spear ready to fire. He walked toward the hut, hearing Eric's uneven breathing coming from inside. He slowly peaked his head in, and saw Sam curled up in a ball on the opposite side of the hut than Eric. When he saw Eric, his defense slipped, and he walked into the hut and got on his knees before him.

"They're not even taking care of you!" He whispered in outrage, running his hand over Eric's chest. Eric's breathing settled, like a junkie's would once they got their drug back in them. Eric groaned and forced his eyes open.

There was something over them, Roger noticed. Eric wasn't seeing normal; he was probably in a state of delirium.

"Sam?" He whispered. "Sammy?" He reached his hand up and Roger took it. "Where's Roger?"

Roger was surprised and he leaned his head over Eric, bringing Eric's hand up to his face. Maybe if he felt, he'd know he was Roger.

Eric did realize it was Roger and he closed his eyes and started making pained wheezing noises. Roger got scared. Why didn't he think of that? Waking up to ones attacker kneeling over you would send a delirious person into a fit. Roger tried to back away, but Eric kept his hand on Roger's cheek.

"I.. I.." Eric said through gasps for air. "I'm sorry. I…" His eyes closed tighter, trying to block something out. "…forgive me…"

Roger pulled Eric's hand away from his face and Eric started to calm down. His breathing became regular again and his eyes rested behind his eyelids.

"Get better, Eric. Rest now… I'll be back for you." He leaned over, and kissed Eric's forehead before leaving as quickly as he came.

Sam awoke seconds after Roger left. He rolled over and looked at his twin who was smiling, dreaming peacefully of better days.


	12. The Need for Revenge

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Flies. William Golding does because he thought of it first, that jerk.

Author's Note: Did you see I separated it this time? Eh! XD Okay well. I sort of didn't want this to happen, but I do. You know what I mean? Well you will soon. I have no idea how many chapters are left, still. I could end it in one… but… do I want to? (PS: Please Review because I love it when I get email. Hehe. )

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Jack had such a mixed feeling inside of him for the past two days, he thought he was going to explode. He walked up to Ralph, who was still sitting on the edge of the stream. Jack sat and put his legs in the water, letting the slow current relax his muscles. He watched the waves lick at his tanned legs and watched as bits of clay, blood and sand got washed away.

He wished his feelings would wash away like that.

He wanted to be happy, honestly he did. He put his hands behind him and leaned back, looking over at Ralph. Ralph was splashing water onto his scab, trying hard not to wince, but how tight he was closing his eyes gave away how much pain he was really in. Jack was glad Ralph was up and about, but he still worried. Roger could be watching them right now, waiting to get another shot at Ralph.

Jack looked up at the sky, trying to push the fear away. He was caring too much about Ralph. Maurice had already seen through that and was starting to act like friends with Jack, and not like Jack was his superior. He was calling him Jack, not Chief. Jack didn't mind. He grinned when he remembered how childish he seemed on the first day. 'I want to be Merridew. Why should I be Jack?'

Then he remembered when Roger introduced himself. He was hiding in his skin and only mumbled his name and wouldn't say more. They were all innocent before.

Jack sighed.

"Are you okay?" Ralph wet hand went onto Jack's shoulder at the water dripped down Jack's chest.

Jack looked over at him and forced a smile. "Yes. I'm perfect."

Ralph grinned. "You can't fool me. You're worried."

Jack smiled. "Well, yeah, but I think I have a good reason to be. You're getting better but Eric's not. Well he is, I think, but not very quickly. And what if Roger comes back? Right now? To finish you off."

"Well that's what the bodyguards are—" Ralph cut off as he looked around. Maurice and Robert had run off. Ralph smiled, having a feeling that he knew what they were off doing. "—were here for. But I'm sure we can manage on our own." Ralph let his hand fall onto Jack's hand that was closest to him on the ground.

"But what if..?"

"You're not the 'what if' kind, Jack. You never acted on this island on 'what ifs' before. Why are you doing it now?"

Jack's hand turned over as he sat up, taking Ralph's hand in his. "Because now I have something to care about on this hell of an island. I don't want to lose that… I don't want to lose you."

Ralph smiled and blushed, but his smile faded quickly. "Jack?" His voice lowered. "I.. I don't think Roger's going to kill me."

"What?" Jack looked confused.

"That night… he wasn't going to kill me. He would have killed me when he had his chance. I think he's planning on doing something else." Ralph looked down, pulling his hand from Jack's. Jack let his hand go, but brought it up to Ralph's chest, running his finger to the right of the mark down to his belly button. Ralph winced slightly.

"I understand now." Jack said; his eyes on the wound. "It's not matter of taking your life. Taking your life wouldn't be enough for _him._" Ralph nodded and Jack spoke the words they both wanted to avoid. "He wants to demoralize you. He wants to cut you from yourself." Jack eyes softened and looked disturbed. "He wants you to wish for death… Ralph…" He looked up to Ralph's eyes.

"He's going to… he's going to…" Ralph nodded, his eyes lowered, avoiding Jack's gaze. "J-just like the pig."

Ralph looked back up at Jack, his heart aching, and saw the _fear_ in Jack's eyes. He thought back to the boy who ordered Roger to tie him up. Fear was something Ralph thought Jack was unable to feel, but the look in his eye was… painful.

To Ralph, it seemed as if Jack was the one who just found out he was going to slowly be tortured and possibly sodomized with a spear. Ralph shuddered, fear controlled his life too. How he wished he could make it go away. Especially for Jack's sake. Jack didn't have to worry about Ralph.

Ralph didn't like Jack when he looked like this. His hands balled into fists and his eyes distant, in remembering something. "Jack?" Ralph said quietly. "You want to go back now?"

Jack looked up at Ralph and his eyes calmed. "Yeah." He stood up and brushed himself off and held an arm down to help up Ralph. Ralph took it, and he noticed Jack changed again. His eyes lit up, in a happy way and he grinned.

Ralph stood with Jack's help and they let go of each other, walking quietly back up to Castle Rock. Jack stopped suddenly, and grabbed Ralph's hand, his other hand going up to his face, making a 'be quiet' sign with his hands and mouth. Ralph looked confused. He didn't hear anything. His heart raced. Did he hear Roger? Suddenly he heard a giggle, and Ralph almost laughed with relief.

He knew right away it was Robert and when he looked at Jack, Jack was grinning. He leaned over and whispered in Ralph's ear. "We're going to get them back."

"What if… what if they're doing more than kissing?" Ralph said, feeling himself blush.

Jack frowned and stayed quiet again, moving slightly toward where he'd heard the noise, then he pulled Ralph to him, their chests touching. "They're not. Can't you hear it?" He whispered.

In all honest, all Ralph could hear was his own heartbeat and he was sure Jack could feel that through his skin. Sure, Ralph and Jack had kissed, but whenever they got _this_ close, Ralph still got really nervous.

Jack grinned and turned, taking Ralph's silence for a yes, and lead Ralph by the hand, quietly toward the sound.

Once the two younger boys came into view, Jack let go of Ralph's hand, and leaned casually against a tree, running a hand through his hair. "So _this_ is where you two went."

Neither Maurice nor Robert was pinned against anything. They both stood in a small clearing; arms wrapped around each other, but looked over at Jack when he spoke. Ralph smiled. They looked so cute, standing there, almost carefree… in _love._ But he liked to be pushed around. He liked to fight for dominance.

"Jack." Maurice squeaked. "Um… How… How long…?"

Jack just laughed and put his arm around Ralph's shoulder, leading them away. Maurice and Robert looked at each other, blushed again, and followed their Chief back to camp.

----------

Another two days passed and Eric was getting better. The wounds, they realized, were more scratches than anything. It wasn't deep. They looked like they were caused by fingernails, not spears. The boys couldn't be sure if this was comforting, however.

The boys had decided that something had gotten in the wounds when Eric lay unconscious before Sam found him. Something that made him get a fever, and that's what the deliria cam from.

And both nights, Roger had come to see Eric. He only stayed for a few minutes, but it was enough for Eric. Seeing Roger again was what made him get over his fever, faster. Ralph didn't go in the hut to see Eric. He felt that this might make him delirious again, somehow. Jack though Ralph was being stupid, but Ralph wouldn't go in to see him.

----------

Roger was in his cave again, but his solitude was getting the better of him. He felt the need to hurt again. To rip and kill. How long had it been since he lashed out on Ralph and Eric? Four days? He found some sort of animal inside a shell that got stuck in his cave when the tide drifted away and he crushed it in his hands.

The broken fragments of shell made his hands bleed, but he didn't feel anything. Flesh deep pain didn't seem to bother him anymore. Not since that night…

Roger had Eric by the hair, practically dragging him to the stream. Eric's eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks were tearstained. Roger threw Eric against a tree, and he sank to his knees sobbing. "Oh, get up." Roger said, sounding like Eric was over exaggerating his pain.

Eric stood. Roger had Jack's knife in his hand and he was studying Eric's chest. There were scars already, but a lot of untouched flesh. Roger was wondering where to make the wounds. Eric breathed heavily, closing his eyes. But the cut never came. He heard a small thud, the knife hitting the ground beside him and felt a wet finger started tracing his chest.

Eric opened his eyes to see blood slowly dribbling out of a wound on Roger's forearm. It was a long, and pretty deep gash, on his left arm. Roger studied the blood, with a small frown on his face. His hand went up to rub the blood, getting more on his fingers. He then looked back at Eric, and began to draw on his face and chest, again, using his blood.

Eric closed his eyes again, and tilted his head up. Roger began to make bloody lines over Eric's neck.

That was the day Roger realized that pain and pleasure coincided perfectly. Like Yin and Yang… or something like that. He picked up the knife, which was laying a few inches from Eric's foot and handed it to Eric.

"My blood as your mask, we switch places today." He said, in a moan, stepping back and opening his arms, wanting to be cut. Eric looked scared, but gave Roger his wishes. However, he dropped the knife, and grabbed Roger's shoulders and spun him around forcefully, pushing Roger's back against the tree.

Roger grinned, and his hands fell to his sides. Eric's eyes flashed, the mask of Roger's blood had seemed to show the true savage in Eric, Eric bit hungrily at Roger's bottom lip, enough to draw blood, then licked the liquid from the other boy's lips. Roger gave a small moan in reply.

Eric's fingers dug into Roger's shoulders, breaking the skin, eight lines of blood trailed down Roger's chest. Roger didn't feel any pain; he simply felt an explainable desire to want more.

Eric did well, being Roger. Eric forced Roger into another long kiss, only breaking when they heard a small crash come from the forest, Eric jumped back, and became himself again, blushing, and Roger quickly made the over up. He grabbed Eric's arms and spun him around, slamming him roughly against the tree.

"Don't do that again!" Roger sounded more than convincing. "You hear me?"

Eric nodded pitifully, not sure if Roger was as angry as he seemed.

However, it was Jack that walked into the clearing. He took a look at the two boys, noticing how Roger seemed to be bloodier than Eric, with the exception of the bloody mask Eric wore, but kept to his own business and said. "We're going hunting, boys. Finish this later."

Roger sighed, as the rest of the memory faded away and his dark cave was all he could see. His right hand slowly snaked up his left arm, and he removed the tied piece of cloth that he'd kept there since that day. He had a nice scar now, a nice souvenir of that memory, but he kept it hidden. It was his memory and nobody else's. He didn't want to share. There had been other scars that piece of cloth had covered, and that was another reason he kept the cloth there.

Eric would have noticed if Roger started getting more knife wounds, he didn't want Eric to get angry or suspicious. So he hid them. He ran his fingers over them. He never told anybody, but he always preferred to use his own blood when he made his mask. His own blood or Eric's, or clay as a last resort or if he was around other people. He moved his arm at a different angle and there were scabs from fresher wounds. Those wounds had been made to keep Jack's handprints on.

He picked up his spear and made another slice, just below the lowest one. He watched the blood dribble out, content, feeling no pain, but no pleasure either, and dabbed his fingers in it, and started to trace the handprints once again.

----------

"Chief!" Bill called as Jack reached camp with Ralph. The duo had been down to the stream again, Jack had given into Ralph's please and they'd gone, again, both days. Jack let go of Ralph and stepped forward. "Chief, Eric says he wants to see you."

Ralph thought this was the breakthrough Jack had been hoping for, but Jack seemed worried. Jack had gone to see Eric both days, as he got better, but he'd never specifically asked for Jack before…

Jack opened the door and walked in. Eric was sitting up, with the bloody rags removed from his body. The buises were getting better, a little, and the cuts didn't have the red infectious glow they had a few days ago. Eric was smiling, looking almost like nothing had happened.

Jack moved forward, leaving Ralph standing in front of the door. "Eric? How are you feeling?"

"Oh." Eric smiled still. "I'm feeling pretty good. Good enough to get up and about, in fact, I think." He ran his fingers over his new wounds, almost proudly. "I'm sorry to have caused you trouble. Sorry to you too, Ral—"

Eric looked up at Ralph and his smile faded. Ralph wanted to melt. Eric was staring at Ralph's chest, where his wound was. And Ralph could feel the hate, like heat, generating from Eric's body. "R…R…" Eric's eyes grew wide and Jack look confused, then he looked up at Ralph, trying to see what was making Eric so… weird.

His eye level was too Ralph's wound and he quickly yelled. "Get out, Ralph!" Ralph turned and walked out, but Eric was shaking again. Jack quickly slid over him, pinning his arms down at his wrists. "Maurice, go get some water. Ralph, go with him. Sam, get some cloth. Hurry!"

Jack barked orders and Robert came over to help Jack hold Eric down. Eric groaned, closing his eyes and Robert held Eric's hands down while Jack felt Eric's forehead. He was burning. The fever must not have gone away.

Maurice ran and grabbed two coconuts and ran back to the stream. Ralph ran into the cave, getting the coconuts that Jack had in there. Maurice was in head of him, and by the time Ralph got to the stream, Maurice was leaving. "Hurry up, Ralph." Maurice yelled over his shoulder, quickly running from view.

Ralph fell to his knees, holding the coconuts in the water, letting them fill. He stood up and turned around to run back, but a masked face greeted him. Ralph lost his balance in the surprise and fell backwards into the stream. "R.. Roger."

Roger's eyes seemed completely black, and he quickly lowered himself on top of Ralph, pinning him in the water, allowing him to stay just above the water, just so he could breathe.

"Ralph. We meet again."

"J… Jack!" Ralph yelled.

"Oh. Your lover won't be coming to your aid, this time." Roger frowned. "I just have to get some revenge. You made me do something I shouldn't have done."

"What do you mean?" Roger pushed Ralph's shoulders further into the deeper water, causing Ralph to go under for a few seconds, before he let him back up.

"You made me hurt Eric."

"How in hell did I make you hurt Eric?" Ralph said, confused.

"Don't play stupid, Ralphie. You stole Jack from me and Eric paid the price. Jack was mine and he chose you. But I can understand why. You're a biter. Jack always liked it rough."

Roger pushed Ralph across the stream, and onto land. Ralph shook, a desperate attempt to throw Roger off, but Roger pushed his hips into Ralph's and frowned. He quickly surveyed his surroundings, and grinned at a tree. He quickly grabbed a creeper from the ground and got off of Ralph.

Ralph got up and tried to run, but Roger was faster. He grabbed Ralph's hair and pulled him back. Ralph yelled in pain, but Roger threw him against the tree, moving his hand to his wrist. He pulled both of Ralph's hands behind his body, and around the tree, tying them back there in a painful pose. With Ralph's hands tied, Roger quickly turned and started to tie Ralph's feet to the tree, so he was of almost no resistance.

Ralph slammed his back against the tree in a desperate attempt to free himself, but parts of the bark splintered and dug into his back, causing him to wince. Roger stood and put his hands on Ralph's face, pushing his body against Ralph's. "Don't try anything cute this time."

Ralph shut his eyes and tried to move his head away, but Roger's hands held his skull still and he felt Roger's chapped lips on his again. Ralph tried to keep his mouth shut, but Roger dug his fingers into Ralph's jaw, forcing them apart, and keeping them in there so Ralph couldn't bite down without hurting himself. Again, Roger's tongue was forced into his mouth and he explored, furiously, touching their tongues together. Ralph tried to keep still, to bore Roger, and tears burned his eyes.

Roger moved his fingers away from Ralph's jaw a little, so it shut more, and tilted Ralph's head to one side, pushing in farther, attempting to make the kiss deeper and mean more. Ralph shook his shoulders, trying to get Roger off, but it hurt him more than it hurt Roger. Roger moved back for a breath.

"Why don't you make this easier and kiss me back?" Roger said, his eyes trying to burn holes through Ralph's, his hands dropping to the other boy's chest.

Ralph frowned. "I would never kiss you."

"Well you sure aren't trying very hard to get me off." Roger said, grinning. "You like this. You know you like it when I hurt you." Roger shook his head. "And what's Jackie going to say, Ralph?" Ralph groaned as Roger pushed his hips further into the other boys, painfully. "What's he going to say when you tell him you didn't fetch his water like a lapdog because you were to busy with me?"

Ralph felt his wall break with every word. How could he possibly explain this to Jack? The only comfort he had was that Roger wasn't doing to him like he did to the pig. Ralph's clothes had stayed on and he could tell Roger didn't intend on ruining him like that, yet.

"Everyone knows you're just like Eric." Roger laid his chest flat against Ralph's, one hand gliding up his chest, resting on the back of Ralph's neck, the other slowly making it's way up his neck, gently, over his cheek, and through his hair. Roger turned his head to whisper into the boy's ear. "You suck it up and hide your emotions pretty well. And everyone knows what I do to people like Eric… people like you." Roger nipped playfully at Ralph's earlobe before moving back, looking over Ralph, hungrily.

Ralph tried to look away, feeling naked and exposed to Roger's gaze. Roger's bent over and picked up his spear and stood up. His other hand went up to his arm, to the spot with the cloth tied around it, for a second it looked like he was going to remove it. His knuckles turned white, he was clenching the spear so hard, and he swallowed roughly. Suddenly, he seeped to snap out of it.

Ralph looked at Roger strangely, and Roger looked scared for a second, before he remembered Ralph was tied up. Roger smirked and said, "Don't worry. I'm sure Jackie will be by to pick up your pieces, and hold you while you cry and swear that you couldn't have done anything to throw me off." Roger grinned, leaning in, kissing Ralph lightly on the lips. "Which is a lie."

Roger turned and walked off, spear in hand, laughing. Ralph looked closely for wounds, but he didn't have any. None physical, anyway. He started to cry and tried to sit, but he was tied too tightly. His shoulders throbbed, from his hands being tied, so he leaned his head back, looking up at the sky as tears blurred his vision, and ran down his cheeks, unable to wipe them away.

----------

Jack dabbed Eric's forehead with a wet piece of cloth as the boy started to calm down. "Jack… Jack… Roger… Ralph." Eric's head moved from side to side.

"Stay quiet, Eric." Jack said, dripping some water onto the boy's forehead.

"Roger… Ralph…" He frowned. "Jack. Help."

"Eric?" Jack leaned back. "Eric what are you talking about?"

Eric opened his eyes, they were full of tears. "Roger… Roger and Ralph…"

Jack sighed. Seeing Roger's mark on Ralph must have really bothered Eric. "Everyone leave." Jack looked at Sam, who was crying in the corner. "You too. I have to talk to Eric."

Sam was angry. "No. You can't make me leave. Eric's my brother and anything you say in front of him… you can say in front of me."

Jack, out of habit, almost called for Roger, but instead he got off of Eric and walked over to Sam. "You listen to your Chief!" He took Sam by the hair and pulled him to the door.

"Sorry Chief!" Sam muttered pathetically as Jack threw him out and let the door fall shut. He turned back to Eric, to see him smiling, slightly.

"Eric…" Jack said, sitting down across from Eric. "Tell me what's bothering you."

Eric sat up, tears swelling in his eyes. "It's… It's the same for me as it is for Roger, almost." Jack looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "He loves someone who doesn't love him back."

Jack felt his heart sink to his stomach. "And… And I love him. But he's so worried about you that he doesn't care for me, anymore. And now… he's got Ralph."

"What do you mean 'he's got Ralph.' He hasn't got Ralph." Jack looked worried.

Eric frowned. "I love Roger... you know. And it hurts me… when he constantly wants you. I deserved the beating I got, Jack. I lied to him. But now he's got Ralph too and…"

"What do you mean he's got Ra—"

"Didn't you see the fucking scab, Jack?" Eric yelled, surprising himself. Jack and Eric both looked away. "He's claimed Ralph now, too. So I think you should pay a little more attention to him."

"He hasn't left my eye sight in three days."

Eric's voice was so small, Jack couldn't even be sure he heard it. "Then where is he now?"


	13. Untying the Vines

Disclaimer: I own a copy of the book, and the 1990 version of the movie, but I don't own the rights. ;-;

Author's Note: I would just like to thank everyone who reviewed, because it means a whoooole lot to me. If I could, I would personally come to every one of you and give you a flower or a hug. Whichever you'd prefer.

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"Jaaaack!" Ralph yelled, but it wasn't a real yell. He knew Jack thought he was up on Castle Rock somewhere. His heart stung. If he could get away without Jack knowing, that would be better.

Ralph stopped crying and he thought he heard a small giggle. The first thing he thought was that Roger was sitting there, just outside Ralph's view, watching as he struggled for the past fifteen minutes.

"Roger!" He yelled, more enthusiastically than he called for Jack. "Please, Roger. Please untie me." Did he hear a giggle in reply? Was he going crazy? He burst into tears again. "Roger… Jack can't find me like this. ROGER!"

He slammed his back into the bark of the tree, sobbing. He'd rather die here, by his own hand, than have Jack find him like this. Shame hung over him like a cloud. He should have fought harder. He should have kicked. He should have screamed! His tongue burned like acid had been dripped on it. He licked his lips, trying to get it to feel different, but if anything, the acid felt like it went to his lips.

Ralph felt different toward Roger. It seemed that once their tongue's touched (A fact he'd never let Jack know) he realized all of Roger's motives. He couldn't blame him for being angry with him. Roger was in love, and had someone stole Jack away from Ralph; he knew he'd probably handle it similar to the way Roger was. That, or suicide.

Ralph slammed his back again against the tree, trying to get those thoughts out of his head. "Oh, God. I am like Eric…"

----------

Jack didn't need to be asked where Ralph was twice. He ran out the door and looked among the boys gathered out there. "Where the hell's Ralph?" He yelled, looking around for him. He didn't see him, but he knew he'd sent Maurice out with him, so he ran to Maurice, grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the cave.

Maurice shook. He remembered when his chief was like this, but it was under a different second in command. Maurice shut his eyes and opened his mouth, but a gagging noise was all that came out. Jack was pushing too hard, Maurice couldn't breathe.

Jack pushed harder, as a threat, before letting up a bit before he could talk.

"Y-you told him… water…" Jack let go of Maurice and the younger boy's body slid down the rocky wall, grasping his throat, choking and coughing.

"Get up. Go watch Eric… do _not_ let him leave… and _don't _let anyone else in." Jack grabbed Maurice's hair, forcing his head back, so Maurice was looking at Jack. "Got it?"

Maurice nodded painfully. "Y-yes, Chief."

Jack let go and Maurice stood up and practically ran to the hut. The boys looked at Jack with fear in their eyes, but Jack didn't care. "Stay here. If you leave, I'll personally sharpen a stick at both ends for you."

The boys shuddered as Jack turned and ran down the side of Castle Rock, to the stream. Jack's chest hurt with slight guilt. He didn't need to be that mean with Maurice, but he was worried. "Oh, God, Ralph. You better be alive." Jack wiped his cheeks on the back of his hand, trying to dry them and prepare himself for battle. Halfway to the stream, a little late, he realized he didn't have a spear or any sort of weapon to fend Roger off with.

Jack jumped into the clearing with the stream in the middle, snarling, teeth bared, fist clenched, ready to fight.

"J-Jack?" Ralph whimpered, fresh tears of shame blurred his vision.

Jack's defense dropped and he looked at Ralph. He had wet lines down the sides of his face, from crying, and his chest also glistened with tears. Ralph tried, without success, to wipe the tears from his cheeks on his shoulders, but he only managed to hurt himself.

Jack ran to Ralph, taking his face gently in his hands, running his thumbs under is eyes, to wipe the tears away. Jack's eyes were full of pride and happiness, the complete opposite of Ralph's. "Ralph… I'm…" Jack closed his eyes a little and leaned in to kiss Ralph.

"Jack." Ralph whispered, turning his head away. "Untie me."

Jack nodded and quickly walked around to behind the tree, touching Ralph's arm along the way. Jack worked quickly, trying to make sense of the knot Roger tied and how he could get it untied. Ralph waited, but was getting angrier as time went on. Jack could tell, so he worked quicker. Ralph's hands clenched and he pulled hard against the vines, making it harder to untie.

"Ralph… I can't get it…"

Ralph sighed, trying to calm down, and leaned his head against the tree. He didn't want to get angry and lash out at Jack. "There's a spear… your birthday present… right over there."

Jack looked around the tree to where Ralph was motioning, with his head, and ran over to the sight where Ralph had gotten his brand. The grass had grown back up, from where Ralph had laid, but there was blood in the grass. Jack ran his fingers through it, trying to find it. He looked over, and Ralph's hands were turning purple as he struggled to free himself. Ralph stopped, with a small cry of pain, and started to slam his back against the bark, cutting it further.

Jack watched some blood run down from Ralph's back. "Ralph… Stay still."

Ralph turned his head so he was looking at Jack, and Jack could see the fury in his eyes. "I'll tie you up to a fucking tree, Jack. And we'll see how long you can stay still."

Jack felt his heart sink into his stomach and he went back to looking for the spear, as tears came to his eyes. He hadn't meant to make Ralph upset… he only wanted to help.

After a few seconds, he felt something slice his hand. He moved his hand down, grabbing the wood part of the spear, and held it up. As he stood and walked behind Ralph's tree, he stared, at amazement at it. The tip was covered in Ralph's blood, as this was the spear that Roger made his mark with, but it was dried. Now, a small fresh drop ran down, from where Jack had just cut himself.

He ran his finger along the sharp edge and his flesh sliced without much pressure and his hand bled further. "Wow… You made this?" His voice showed his amazement, even if Ralph couldn't see it.

"Jack…" Ralph's voice was pleading. He tried to pull his hands apart again, to show Jack that he wanted to be free. Jack's left hand went up to Ralph's hand and held it lightly as he began to cut, so if the spear missed the vine, it would hurt him and not Ralph. Ralph squeezed Jack's hand back, hard, and Jack could feel that Ralph was shaking.

Jack went slow, making sure not to slip and injure Ralph. When the last cut had been made into the vine, and Ralph felt his hands go free, he released Jack's hand and brought his arms from around the tree, to in front of him, smiling. He rubbed his wrists painfully, and Jack walked around to the front, afraid to say anything and upset Ralph. Ralph smiled at him, and started to roll his shoulders, to work out the kinks in it.

Jack got on his knees in front of Ralph. Ralph blushed as Jack started to work the strip of vine that held Ralph's legs together, and around the tree. Ralph watched, as he continued to rub his wrists, but he got distracted. Jack's back muscles rippled as his strong arms worked on slicing the vine, and he grunted every so often. Sweat glistened from Jack's back. Ralph swallowed and saw a tear or two land on Jack's back. He hadn't even realized he was crying.

Jack felt the tears and finished the last slice to free Ralph at the same time. Jack looked up at the fair haired boy, still on his knees before him. Ralph used the back of his hand to rub away the tears before Jack saw, but it was too late. Ralph's knees gave and he crumbled to the ground beside Jack, sobbing, burying his face in his hands.

Jack leaned over, hugging Ralph around the shoulder, pulling the shaking body closer to him. Ralph rested his head on Jack's chest, his hands moving around Jack's waist, feeling safe in his arms.

"I… I'm sorry." Jack said, his voice was shaking and Ralph felt Jack's tears fall onto his forehead. "I'm so sorry Ralph. I'll never let you out of my sight again. I swear…"

Ralph's hands ran along Jack's sides, his skin was burning from the sun being on it. "R-Roger…"

Jack leaned his head over, resting his head on Ralph's. "You don't have to say anything…"

Ralph swallowed and held onto Jack. Ralph licked his lips, trying to decide what to say. Jack's hands ran, comfortingly over Ralph's back and he kissed the top of his head. Ralph sighed. "He… he kissed me, again."

Jack sighed, and Ralph could tell he was relieved that he didn't do to him like he did to the pig. "Nothing you could have done." Jack said, quietly. "You were tied to a tree, for God's sakes."

Ralph frowned, but didn't go farther with it; he was hoping Jack would let it drop too. Both boys were quiet for a couple of minutes before Jack said. "W-what was it like?"

Ralph thought that was a strange question and he moved back, looking at Jack. Jack tried to hide the curiosity in his eyes, but it was beyond hiding. Ralph saw it. "What?"

"What… what did he do? Did you like it?" Shame filled Jack's face as soon as the words came from his mouth. "No… sorry, you don't have to answer that."

Ralph grinned and stood up, grabbing Jack's shoulders and pulling him into an awkward standing possession, before he pushed Jack roughly against the tree, bringing his finger's to Jack's jaw, and pushing his fingers into it, forcing his mouth open, like Roger had done.

Jack groaned as he tried to shut his mouth, biting his inner lip, the same problem Ralph had. Ralph moved in and kissed Jack similar to the way Roger kissed Ralph. The only difference was when Ralph touched his tongue to Jack's, Jack's gladly pressed back. Ralph removed his fingers from Jack's jaw a little, and Jack's mouth closed. Ralph moved Jack's head, like Roger had moved his, and pushed in farther, except their kiss really did mean something.

After a few more seconds, Ralph backed away, but Jack's hands on his waist were keeping their bodies close. Jack grinned, with a small blush on his face and said. "At least Roger knows how to kiss…"

----------

Roger couldn't believe it. Ralph took something that was supposed to be psychologically devastating and turned it into a nice reason to kiss Jack. Roger snarled and started to storm away until he heard Jack's words. "At least Roger knows how to kiss…"

He stopped and looked back at Jack. The way his hands rested on Ralph's lower back seemed strange to Roger. Jack's thumbs moved, creating a stimulus for Ralph's sense of touch, and the look in his eyes were such an over powering look of love that it almost made Roger sick. Ralph's back had been to Roger, an easy shot with a spear, really, but Roger didn't want the blonde boy dead. Ralph leaned back, pulling Jack with him, forcing him into another kiss.

Roger scoffed and walked away.

He gathered some fruit on the way back to his hideout, not feeling like seeing Eric. If he went to see Eric, he'd end up hurting him again… he could feel it. Whether it was through anger, or through a kiss, he didn't know. But he knew he'd mess up again… like he always did. He bit into one of the pieces of fruit, and the juice stung his throat as he swallowed.

"Jack…" Ralph's voice echoed from behind him. Roger yelled and chucked the fruit as hard as he could into the ocean. It went pretty far, for someone of his age, but he didn't care. He yelled again, trying to get Ralph's voice from his head, and he punched a tree. He didn't feel anything, but the bark sliced his knuckle, and blood trailed down his wrist.

He started calming down, when Jack's happy voice said, "I love you, Ralph."

Roger's knees gave out, and he sat, leaning against a tree. He knew how angry he should be, and he knew how angry he was. His heart felt like it was being ripped in teeny tiny pieces. He leaned his head back, putting his hands over his face, waiting for tears. But tears never came, and all he could think of was Eric. His new scratches, all the pain he'd caused Eric, and the way Eric always looked at him. He had the same look… the same look that Jack had had, when he found Ralph, alive.

Roger stood and started walking back to his cave, waiting for the boys to settle down, so he could go see Eric again.

---------

Jack blushed softly and hugged Ralph tightly, so he could hide his face from the younger boy. Ralph's arms were just as tight around Jack. "I love you, too." He whispered, sounding like he was on the verge of tears again. Jack smiled and kissed Ralph's bare shoulder, as his hands slowly rubbed Ralph's back. Ralph put his forehead on Jack's shoulder, closing his eyes, relaxing.

"Are you ready to go back up? I sort of… I was really worried when I left… and I think I might have hurt Maurice." Jack's voice was quiet.

"What?" Ralph moved back, looking at Jack. "What'd you do to him?"

Jack shook his head and kissed Ralph gently on his lips, the same way Roger had done before he left. "Let's just get back."

Ralph nodded and the two boys separated from their hug and stood up, Jack grabbing the spear Ralph had made him in one hand. They started walking, quietly, almost awkwardly, until Jack looked over and smiled at Ralph, taking hold of his hand. Ralph smiled back, and gladly held Jack's hand.

----------

Maurice was trying hard to stop crying, but he was afraid. He wasn't afraid of Jack, he wasn't scared that Jack was going to come back and beat him more, because he could understand. If Robert was taken away from him, he'd have probably done the same. But what if Roger had really done something to Ralph? What if Ralph was dead?

Eric was watching him, which made Maurice nervous. Eric didn't even seem upset to know that Roger was off with Ralph. "I'm sorry he hurt you, Maurice." Eric's voice did sound sympathetic, but it didn't make him feel much better.

"It's fine. I'm use to it."

"No your not. He's never hurt you before." Maurice frowned a little. That was true. He was always in Jack's in crowd.

"He's just worried for Ralph. Why aren't you worried?"

"Ralph's not dead. Roger won't kill him… not yet." Eric's eyes grew distant, like he was thinking. "He… he won't kill Ralph, because Ralph is as close to Jack as he's going to get for now…"

Eric fell quiet and Maurice watched him. Something about Eric seemed different. He wasn't the type to talk, really, and he was usually silent about Roger. Most of the boys were. It was taboo. The two sat for a while in silence, until he heard Jack's voice yell. "Maurice. Get out here."

Maurice went to his Chief, thinking the worse, regardless of what Eric said. But Ralph looked fine. Jack had an arm around Ralph, like he was afraid to let go. Ralph was blushing. Ralph wasn't use to walking around with someone's arm around him. He wasn't use to being kissed in front of other boys, and Jack had that look in his eyes, that all the boys knew.

"We're going to get a pig tonight, hunters!" Jack threw up his hands, and the hunters cheered. Ralph tried to move away, but Jack grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. "Maurice, Robert, Bill and Sam. You four go down and get us clay. Be careful. The rest of you, stay here and sharpen your spears."

Jack clenched his spear in his hand, and let go of Ralph, making a gesture for him to go inside the cave. Ralph obliged, and Jack followed him in.

Jack grinned at Ralph when they got in, and Ralph expected Jack to pin him against the wall, but instead, Jack pulled out the coconuts of clay. "You'll paint them for me again, right?"

Ralph grinned back at Jack. "Of course."

Ralph leaned his hand over, to put it in the white paint, when Jack grabbed his hand. "You don't have to put my normal mask on… if you don't want."

Ralph laughed and said. "How about I put your normal mask on, and then you can get out your creativity on me?"

Jack looked excited. "You mean you'll come?"

"Well you said you weren't ever going to let me leave your eyesight again… or have you forgotten already?" His fingers played in the red paint, before holding his fingers up, and drawing the red part of Jack's mask. Again, he felt something stir in Jack, so he quickly added the white. Then he finished with the black slash.

Jack grinned, his eyes still shown with lust as he looked at the blonde boy, and not just his face. His eyes traveled mercilessly over the wounded body. Ralph didn't mind, there probably wasn't a spot from his waist up that Jack hadn't touched. After a few more seconds, Jack looked back up and grinned at Ralph.

"I got it. Close your eyes." Ralph let his eyes close and a few seconds later he felt Jack's wet hands brush over his face, but he didn't know what the pattern was, every few seconds there was a pause as he switched colors, but then there was a longer pause. He heard Jack groan slightly, Ralph gulped in delight. He felt Jack's hands on his chest, and he opened his eyes.

"J-Jack! What the hell did you do?" Jack's chest was bleeding, not in a line down, but a gash just under his right collar bone. It was bleeding slightly, just enough to have gotten some on his hands, and Ralph looked down at himself, as Jack's hands pulled away. He had two bloody handprints, on his chest, similar to Roger's, except the blood looked different.

Jack's fingers moved up to his mouth as he licked the blood from his fingers. Ralph watched, excitedly. He felt his heart racing, just from watching the boy.

"What does my war paint look like?" He managed to gasp.

Jack's eyes, now seemingly less savage, fell on Ralph's. "You know, it's weird. But there's a difference between human blood and pig blood. How they taste… how they feel… the symbolism it can hold." Jack's eyes fell onto Ralph's chest. "Roger thinks he's special… but he's just got pig blood. My handprints with pig's blood is completely different than my handprints with my own blood… giving willingly." Jack's eyes fell on Ralph's again, as he gave his finger another lick.

Ralph shook slightly, as he leaned over Jack, kissing his shoulder. Jack closed his eyes, and tilted his head back. Ralph moved closer to Jack, moving his hands around Jack's waist, pulling the older boy closer. Ralph kissed down Jack's chest a little way, until he was looking at the drop of blood that dribbled from the wound. He watched the drop slowly roll down Jack's tanned chest.

"Go on…" Jack whispered in a slight moan.

Ralph closed his eyes and licked the droplet, catching it midway to Jack's stomach, and licked up the trail, leaving no trace that the blood ever escaped.

Jack leaned back, grabbing onto Ralph's shoulder and pulling him on top of him. Ralph didn't need to be pulled; he straddled Jack's hips with his own, leaning over him, pressing his lips into Jack's. Ralph could taste more of the coppery blood on Jack's tongue. Jack moaned again, and Ralph answered with one of his own.

After a time frame that neither boy knew exactly. (All they knew was it was way too short.) Ralph sat back up to take a breath, sitting higher on Jack's stomach. Jack opened his eyes, panting, and watched the blonde boy move hair from his face.

"I guess we should get going, eh?" Jack said, sounding like he'd rather stay here. "Better get a pig, cook it, and eat it quickly… then we can come back in here and finish up."

Ralph laughed as he stood up, holding his hand down to help Jack up. Jack took his hand, and Ralph pulled the older boy to his feet, looking at Jack's self-inflicted wound. "It doesn't hurt." Jack assured Ralph, then he grinned, "I'll do anything to get you to lick me again."

Ralph blushed as Jack laughed and led the way out, to the group of hunters, with painted faces, sitting patently with spears in their hands, ready for some meat.


	14. The First Time

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Author's Note: Okay, I had SUPER writer's block for this one so the ideas might seemed jumbled and stupid and I'm very sorry. I know how I want the story to end, but I don't know how to get there. So I've got all this filler crap that doesn't make any sense. I'm sorry. I'm tired, I'm sad, and I'm sorry.

----------

Jack had a way with speaking. He knew when to look at who, and when to throw his arms up and when to raise his voice. Ralph almost joined in with the rest of the hunter's cheers. Also, Jack never seemed to be nervous. Ralph just stood at Jack's side, and he felt some eyes wander to his body and he wanted to run away. Jack would pause, momentarily, and tighten his grip on Ralph's shoulder, to comfort the boy.

Jack ordered Henry to watch Eric, and then they were off.

Ralph was as good as a hunter as Jack had been when he was still new. "Promising talent." Was what Jack had said. Ralph was next to silent and because of Jack's "simply amazing" paint job, he could jump out at anything. Or at least that's what Jack whispered in his ear the two of them tagged along, letting the hunters do most of the work.

After ten minutes, with no pig, Jack was getting into it more, and dragged Ralph to the front of the pack. He sent boys wide around a spot were they knew pigs were, to circle them all in. Jack whistled and someone whistled in reply. Ralph stayed behind Jack, out of the real circle, afraid someone would push him in and they'd start stabbing him. However, it didn't come. Ralph was safe, just so long as Jack was around.

Another person gave a bird call whistle and Jack nodded and grabbed Ralph's hand, pulling him close. "You want a go at it?" Jack's eyes were swimming with desire. Ralph knew he was only asking to be polite. He wanted to kill it.

"No. You kill it." Ralph whispered back, secretly glad that Jack had such a form of sadism. Jack nodded enthusiastically and gave a different type of whistle and suddenly Maurice ran out, yelling. He scared the pig, a nice sized one, male, and the boys threw their spears at it.

Like Jack had said, the spears slowed him down, but once the boys stopped throwing, Jack jumped on him, knife in hand, and found its throat.

He dragged it out, like one might eat their favorite food. He let it fight for a while, slowly digging it deeper into a not-so-fatal spot on his neck. The blood began to flow and Jack couldn't help himself. He sliced a long, deep gash across his throat and the blood poured. The pig stopped moving underneath Jack, and he panted for breath and looked at Ralph. His eyes swarmed, settling down and becoming human again.

Ralph looked slightly sick, not liking the smell of pig blood very much, so Jack looked away and over the other hunters. They were excited, but looked like they were expecting something, all of them had hopeful looks on their faces, and even the known couples seemed to be looking at Jack like he was the first girl they'd seen in months.

Jack stood, and looked around again, all of the hunters grinned. "What are you all looking at?" He asked, frowning. He flicked the blood at Maurice and Robert and they giggled. "Huh?"

Jack got to his knees and started to wipe the blood off in the grass. The next time he looked up, the hunter's expressions changed. They all looked like they'd lost a contest. Jack looked confused.

Ralph understood, and he could tell Jack didn't understand. "What now?"

The boys looked at Ralph and Jack grinned. "Now we gut it. You want to do that?" The hunters laughed as Jack grinned to Ralph. Jack stood up and walked over, grabbing the other boys wrist and pulling him into the circle. "Here. I'll show you how."

Jack sat and with his hand on Ralph's wrist pulled him so he was kneeling in front of him. "Jack... I don't want to..." He whispered; fear was held in his voice.

Jack looked around at the hunters; they looked strangely at him, like they were challenging his authority. Jack grasped the knife and started sawing down the middle, ruthlessly. Ralph was allowed to move away, but he didn't go too far, in case Roger was out there. Jack looked around and the savagery made the hunters seem happy, again. Jack gutted the pig, then stepped back, grinning. He flicked the blood at more of the boys, and they cheered and giggled.

"Okay, tie it to a stick now." He said to not one boy unparticular, but many of the boys ran to get the log, and the vine they needed to tie it. Jack walked over to Ralph.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, wrapping his arms around Ralph's waist, pulling him close and setting his chin on Ralph's shoulder.

"It's alright…" Ralph whispered back, putting his arms around Jack's back, rubbing it slightly. Jack gave a playful moan, to tease Ralph, with a grin.

"Why do you think they like that so much?" Ralph said, quietly, looking over Jack's shoulder at the hunters fight with the dead pig.

"Like what?" Jack said as he started to kiss Ralph's shoulder.

"Like you to flick blood at them."

Jack was quiet, except for the sound of small kisses he placed up Ralph's neck. "I never noticed they liked that, before." He didn't seem to care much, either way. "Blood's like holy water here." Jack kissed Ralph lightly, obviously more interested in Ralph, than whatever they were talking about.

They couldn't stay like that long. The hunters returned and Jack had Ralph walk in front of him, both boys carrying in front of the pig, with two more carrying the pig from behind. The boys had started up with the, "Kill the pig, cut his throat, spill his blood," chant that they seemed to love so much.

Jack didn't participate, but he grinned. The chant seemed to settle the beast inside him. Ralph was frightened. He hated hearing that from behind him, but Jack's hand on his back told him that it was okay, to keep moving.

Henry peeked his head out, looking frightened, however, when he saw the pig, his spirits looked brighter. Maurice and Robert let the pig fall from their shoulders at the same time; Jack and Ralph didn't drop the pig with the two behind him. Ralph was surprised by the jolt and moved a bit and fell, landing on his back, and Jack went tumbling down after Ralph accidentally kicked his feet from under him.

Jack put his hands down, as he fell, landing on top of Ralph, with his hands on either side of his head, so he didn't really get hurt, and didn't hurt Ralph either. Jack grinned, but sat up and removed himself from on top of the boy.

"I'm sorry, Chief." Maurice said.

Jack looked over at Maurice. "You should be." But it was only half heartedly and Maurice grinned. "Go start the fire."

"Yes, Chief." Maurice said and Robert went over to help him.

Ralph sat up and watched the two boys grab Piggy's classes and start a fire. That had been the first time… since he himself started the fire for Jack's fourteenth year party that he'd thought of Piggy. He swallowed roughly with guilt. Jack was leaning back on his hands, still sitting on the ground, watching them too.

The other boys took up the pig and moved it closer to the fire, their spirits raised, they laughed and joked and simply hung out with each other while they waited for the fire to start.

"Chief." Maurice said, looking uncomfortable. "Chief… I can't get it."

Jack sighed and closed his eyes. "You're going to make me get up, Maurice?"

"I'll do it." Ralph offered quickly, before he had a chance to stop himself. He stood up, not waiting for Jack's answer and took the glasses from Maurice, pushing him aside.

Maurice moved with Ralph's push and looked at Robert who shrugged. Ralph looked behind him, trying to decide how to line it up, to get the best angle. Once he placed it in the correct spot, they had fire in a few seconds. The hunters cheered and started dancing. Ralph stood up and walked back to Jack.

"You're turning savage." Jack said as he laid down on his stomach, watching the fire.

Ralph shook his head, as he sat down, next to the older boy, watching the fire with him. "I don't know what you mean." But Ralph could feel something different inside him.

Some of the younger hunters lifted up the pig onto the cooking thing they'd made a while ago, and let the pig cook, even if the fire wasn't really ready yet. Ralph waited, expecting Jack to yell at them, but all he did was yawn and lay his head down on his arms, lazily, like a lion.

To keep himself from watching Jack, Ralph looked over to the hut, which was on the other side of the hunters and the fire. Nobody was watching the hut. Eric could just get out and go back to Roger, and nobody would know where he was hiding. He looked at the hunters. Henry was dancing with them, but Sam was gone.

Must be Sam wanted to watch his brother again.

Jack sighed and Ralph looked at him again. "I don't know what to do about Roger." Jack admitted, keeping his eyes low and purposely avoiding Ralph's. "I don't want him to hurt you again…"

"He could hurt anyone." Ralph said, quietly. "Next time it'll be someone else."

"He doesn't want anyone else. He wants to make me angry. He wants to know what's so great about you. He wants to cut that greatness from you." Jack sighed. "I hope it's anyone else next time. Anyone but you."

Ralph smiled and felt mix feelings run through his body. Whereas he felt special, and really _loved_ for Jack to hope the others will be in pain, so Ralph could escape it, he also felt a very strong jolt of fear.

Roger would come again.

Ralph tried to hide his fear, but putting his hand on Jack's back and rubbing it. Jack's back arched into Ralph's hand and he closed his eyes. Ralph ran his hands over Jack's tanned back for a few seconds, before Jack rolled over, so Ralph was petting his stomach.

Ralph's fingers traced Jack's abdominal muscles, the muscles were well defined and tan. Jack moved his hands under his head, eyes closed, loving the feeling of Ralph's fingers on him. Suddenly Ralph stopped and when Jack opened his eyes, Ralph was on top of him, his hands moved to Jack's shoulders, pinning him down. He lowered himself on top of the red head, pinning like Roger had the first time.

Jack grinned and put his hand on Ralph's neck, pulling him in. Ralph kissed him hungrily, pushing their lips close. Jack's tongue made the first move, as he flipped Ralph over. Ralph winced and moaned, the wounds on his back stinging in the dirt. Jack backed away, afraid he hurt him, but Ralph pulled him in, again, kissing violently.

Suddenly they heard. "Chief…" Jack sat up, straddling Ralph's stomach. Maurice was there, smiling. He obviously didn't want to stop them, (and from the look of everyone else, they were enjoying the entertainment too) "I think the pig's done."

Jack nodded and stood up, and held his hand down for Ralph, as he wondered for how long they had been kissing. It only seemed like a minute or so... Ralph took his hand, and Jack pulled him up. He looked at the pig, and his hunger got the better of him. "Yes. It's done. Serve the meat!"

Maurice and Robert, chunks of meat in both hands, brought the meat to their Chief and his lover. Maurice thought, for a second while giving both chunks to Ralph, how different it was to be around him. Early, when he had been, 'the pet', everything was different. Now, Jack allowed him freedom, but he was still on a tight leash.

Maurice wondered if Ralph was really all that happy, being on a leash.

But Ralph didn't think of it like that. Jack smiled. "Eat, Ralph." Ralph obeyed, without a second thought. Next to him, he could hear the chief eating his pork, too. He watched the others. They ate hungrily, like they were starving. They might be hungry, but at least they weren't starving. They had plenty of food, for now. But what happened when they were old and had killed off the whole population of pigs?

Ralph didn't realize he'd already given up hope of being rescued.

----------

Sam had gotten hungry, and Eric seemed to be sleeping. What would the boy do in there by himself? Just for safe keeping, he tied a vine around both of his wrists, and tied him to a tree just outside the hut. Roger watched Sam tie _his_ pet to a tree. (Sam had left the pigskin door open, for light and air.) He watched Sam walk away from his brother for food. Roger frowned to himself as he walked in the hut.

Eric was, in fact sleeping. Roger looked back at the door, before he got on his knees, straddling the twin. He untied the vines, (Sam wasn't as good at tying people up as he was) and slid one of his arms under the other boys neck, holding him up, and he kissed him, gently.

Eric frowned and struggled underneath Roger. He opened his eyes, but the other boy was too close, and his eyes were closed. He didn't know who it was. "Mmm!" He managed to moan, and push the other boy's shoulders, flipping him over.

Roger let himself be overpowered and he opened his eyes when he landed on his back, under Eric.

"Roger!" Eric whispered in surprise. He quickly got off him, and Roger sat up.

"Hullo." Roger mumbled quietly.

"What are you doing?" Eric looked across at Roger. He looked defeated, but strange glimmer of hope in his eyes. He looked almost childish; like a child who got scolded, but was starting to forget. His back was slumped, so Eric was sitting higher than Roger. Eric felt the need to lay down, so he was looking up at him.

"I just…" Roger looked at the door. "I just wanted to see you."

Eric was stunned. Roger never said _anything_ like that to him before. Eric reached his hand across and ran his fingers over Roger's cheek, expecting Roger to smack his hand away. But he didn't. He looked up, got on his knees, and pulled Eric closer, and kissed him again. A slow, deep kiss, imitating the kisses they'd seen Jack share with Ralph.

"Why aren't you watching Eric?" They heard Jack's voice yell. Roger broke the kiss and quickly tied Eric back up. "Go! What are you waiting for?"

"I'll be back later." Roger whispered, kissing Eric one more time before running out the door.

A few seconds later Sam walked in. "Oh. You're awake, Eric?"

Eric smiled and nodded; his head and chest in a flurry of happiness.


	15. The Last Time

Disclaimer: No owny.

Authors note: A product of a fever and writer's block. (Just got over strep, that's what took this one so long.) I know the end doesn't "flow" but I'll explain it all later. XD Oh… and there's not much JackxRalph this time… sorry about that.

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Roger walked back to his cave in silence, plotting his next move. He knew Eric would hate him for it, but he had to try that kiss out on someone, before the real show; before he got to force it on Ralph as one of the final steps… or were they stages? His whole revenge plan seemed to be unraveling before his eyes. He didn't want Jack anymore. Jack was done, Jack was boring. Jack would never be his. But Ralph… Ralph was the perfect mix between Eric and Jack.

He walked quickly along the shore, and into his cave. The sun was below the horizon, not that he wanted to watch it go, anyway. He was looking forward to sleep. He felt the final battle coming soon.

He wanted to make sure he was in the best condition he could be. He laid down, closing his eyes. He was starving, and he felt a weird heaviness in his chest, but nothing could stop him now. Not when he was so close to braking Ralph.

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Jack didn't call the party off, but many of the boys were more tired than they thought. Jack was laying on the ground, curled in a ball, pretending to watch the boys dancing. Ralph was leaning back against a tree at Jack's side, his eyes closed. The boys were dancing, but solely because Jack was watching, and even still some began to fall out of lines. Jack knew they were tired, as was he, so he stood up.

"Bill, attend the fire. I'm going to sleep." Many of boys nodded and found spots around the fire, some cheered, and Bill, who was dancing more lively than the rest, seemed happy enough to watch the fire. He brought over a stick, with fire blazing on one end, and gave it to Jack.

Jack took Ralph's hand and pulled him up so he was standing, and led the boy into the cave.

When the pigskin door was shut behind Ralph, and the only light was from the stick Jack had in his hand from the fire outside, he wasn't surprised when he felt Jack's body against his, hugging him tightly. Jack threw the stick down, on top of the group of sticks one of the boys put in their for their night fire, then wrapped both arms around Ralph's waist, pulling him close.

Then Jack sat down, and pulled Ralph with him. Jack kissed him lightly on the lips, his hands rubbing slowly on Ralph's back. Ralph closed his eyes, and kissed the other boy back for a few seconds, before Jack pulled away.

"We made it through another day."

Ralph just nodded and laid back. The older boy crawled on top of him, and kissed him once more. Ralph's hands went around his body to his back, and he ran his fingers lightly over the flesh, grinning as he felt Jack move to his touch.

A few more seconds, and Jack moved off of the boy, but put his head on his chest, his eyes lined with Ralph's brand. He felt jealousy ping through him. He should make up a brand, and put it on Ralph, so people don't get the wrong idea, that Ralph belonged to Roger. He wondered how to make ink, so he could get a sharp thorn and tattoo something into Ralph's body.

He thought he should tattoo all the boys! They all belonged to him!

Ralph's chest rose unevenly and knocked Jack back into reality. If he branded people, he'd be no better than Roger. And who said brands were only skin deep? They were all branded as hunters, by what they loved, and Ralph was branded to Jack, because who he loved.

"You alright, Jack?" Ralph said quietly, his hand going to Jack's back, letting it rest there.

Jack nodded. "Yeah."

Both boys remained awake, thinking their separate thoughts, (though both about Roger,) for a while. However they stayed quiet, pretending to sleep. Eventually, an hour or so later, the two fell asleep cuddled together.

----------

'Another day,' Ralph thought to himself. 'Another day in the life as the chief's paranoid playtoy.' He grinned. If they ever got rescued, he'd write a book and call it that. It had a nice ring. Another day in the life as the chief's paranoid plaything. Well, was it too long? Maybe he should just get a tattoo on his arm that said, 'I'm Jack's bitch.'

Ralph smiled and managed to wiggle out from under Jack without waking him up. He wondered if he should go outside. He was really thirsty, and must be the guys who bring Jack's water to him weren't awake yet. Ralph peeked outside. The sun was rising, making the color of the sleeping boys' skin dance. Ralph grinned and stepped out and climbed to the very top of Castle Rock, just on top of the cave the two boys slept in.

He smiled and felt at peace. The sun was rising; it was going to be a beautiful day. He could hear birds chirping, and the waves were crashing peacefully. The words 'sweet salvation' popped into his mind, said by Simon's voice. Ralph looked around, worried for a second, that Simon, mangled and enraged, had somehow managed to live, and was going to kill them all for what they did.

"Paranoid." He said to himself, shaking his head as he watched the sun rise.

"Whacha doin'?" Jack's voice was groggy, obviously just woken up. "You woke me up, ya'know. With your crawling on top of my head."

Ralph smiled as Jack made his way up, slipping every few steps in his tiredness. Finally he made his way to the top and sat down next to Ralph, rubbing his eyes.

"'S a beautiful sunrise, eh, Ralph?" Jack said, looking off into the burning ball. "It's peaceful now, but its rays could kill us someday. My father said that you get UV rays from the sun and they give you cancer. He said to always wear sunscreen or else." Jack giggled, like his father was an insensible child. "Also, the sunburns, though we're all past that now."

Jack laid his head on Ralph's shoulder, looking out into the sun. "Not to mention the fact that it's going to be really hot today. It's coolish now, but the sun's not all the way up there yet." He pointed to where the sun would be around noon. "That's when it gets hot. Everyone gets so tired and sticky. Blood boils when it's that hot.

"You know, like the calm before the storm."

Jack's words were said lightly, to wake himself up and make conversation, but Ralph couldn't help but feel uneasy. Like this would be the last sunrise he'd see before the storm hit. And who knew how bad the storm would be? Who knew if he'd survive?

Jack kissed Ralph's neck, slowly, letting each one linger. Ralph closed his eyes, moaning softly. Every time he wanted to damn the island into oblivion, every time he wished this never happened to him, every time he asked, _Why me_, went away in moments like this. He knew he would never have known Jack had it not been for the island, and although for a long time, he wished Jack would just leave him alone, life without Jack would have been horrible.

And now he had the feeling that something was going to tear them apart.

"Why are you so quiet, Ralph?" Jack said, nuzzling his cheek against Ralph's shoulder. Ralph put his arm around the other boy, sighing. "You can say anything to me." Jack said, "I want you to say everything to me."

Ralph looked at Jack. He couldn't ever remember him being so… like this before. He kissed the top of the boy's red head, and said, "Let's go get something to drink."

Jack nodded and stood up, pulling Ralph to his feet. As they walked, Jack mumbled more about something. Hunting, Ralph thought, but he couldn't pay attention. He still had that _feeling._ The, 'it's the last day of summer holiday and I've got to go back to boring ole school tomorrow,' feeling.

Jack obviously didn't feel the same, he went babbling on, Ralph only listened for words that might be important, like, "spear sharpened at both ends," or, "Oh, look, there's Roger." But they never came. Jack was talking about… his father now. About how he and his mother met, or something.

The path got narrower, and Ralph was forced to go behind Jack. Jack seemed so comfortable. He kept rambling on. Ralph realized Jack hadn't grabbed a spear. Must be Ralph was just paranoid. Roger would never attack here, in broad daylight, with Jack right there.

"If you make a sound, I'll slit your throat." Came a whisper from behind, and Ralph felt a blade, not a spear, but an actual blade against his throat. He closed his eyes, his mind screaming for Jack to notice, but Jack went off, talking to himself, still not completely awake from the night before.

Roger pulled Ralph off to the side, his hand was still pushing the blade against his throat, like he honestly wanted to kill him, but something was holding him back. Roger let Ralph go, but quickly turned him and pushed him against a tree. All Ralph could think was, 'Oh, God. I'm going to die.'

"What'll you do this time, Roger?" Ralph whispered, trying to appear to be calmer than what he really was.

"Shuddup." Roger said, pushing the boy harder, his shoulder pushing around the thin tree, it perfectly fit between his shoulder blades. Ralph closed his eyes, and winced, but refused to call out, even though Jack could still hear him.

"I want it, Ralph. No more games, no more being cute. You feel things when I kiss you. You want it, too. So don't play innocent anymore." Roger's fingers traced over Ralph's shoulders and chest, hungrily.

"Why haven't you killed me yet, Roger?" Ralph whispered again, eyes remaining closed.

"I intend to… but I want to completely demoralize you first. I want you to beg for death, and I, being the generous person I am, will grant it to you."

Ralph swallowed hard, hurting his throat, and watched Roger.

"Kiss me." Roger whispered. "Kiss me back, like you mean it."

"No." Ralph whispered back.

"Hmm." Roger said. "Then I'll just have to take what I want from you by force. You like that, don't you? You like it when I force you into things."

Roger's hands ran lower on Ralph's body. He played with the elastic that was holding up what was left of Ralph's shorts, before moving his hand down, over the material. Ralph winced and tried to back away, but the tree was there, he pushed Roger. But Roger grabbed his wrist and spun him down to the ground, so Ralph was on his stomach. He tried to crawl away, but Roger got on top of him, laying over him.

Ralph only relief was that their shorts were still on.

He still fought, rocking back and forth, he tried to get the other boy to roll off of him. His rolls were desperate; Roger grabbed the other boys hands and held them behind his back, so he couldn't fight.

Roger leaned forward, his chest against Ralph's back and groaned in Ralph's ear, "Mmm… see I knew you'd like it."

"Get off me." Ralph said, but even his voice sounded defeated.

"Kiss me." Roger replied, kissing Ralph's neck, slowly.

Ralph didn't say anything; Roger knew he was close to giving in, so he started to move against him, grinning. Ralph tried to turn him over again, whimpering slightly. Roger let an exaggerated moan out, to show Ralph he wasn't going to stop. Ralph did nothing again, so Roger brought his hand up to Ralph's back, rubbing it slowly before he started to pull down his shorts.

"Okay! Okay Roger! You win!" Ralph flipped himself over as Roger took his weight off the other boy. Ralph's cheeks were a bright pink, in embarrassment at what he was saying.

Roger sat in front of Ralph, watched the blonde boy's cheeks fade to pale, and put a hand on the side of the other boy's neck. Roger was hesitant, he ran his thumb over Ralph's jaw, and Ralph looked away, angling his head the other way. Roger pulled the boy closer, so their foreheads were touching. How many times had he seen Jack and Ralph do this? This was what Ralph liked…

"Don't look so sad. Don't you realize it's the same?" Roger smiled, his dark eyes piercing Ralph's.

"What's the same?" Ralph whispered.

"It's the same to kiss me, as it is to kiss him. It's only fair. Once it was me and him, without you. Then it was you and him, without me. Why can't it be me and you?"

"What about Eric?"

Roger smirked. "I always have room for one more…"

Roger pulled him in the rest of the way, and kissed him. Ralph's jaw fought a little with Roger's tongue as it pushed against it for entrance, but the fight didn't last. Ralph's tongue sat idle as Roger's pressed up against it. Roger got mad and broke their kiss. "Use that tongue of yours. You love using that."

Roger's lips pressed against Ralph's again. This time, however, when Roger's tongue pressed against Ralph's, he felt Ralph's press back. It was full of malice, and he obviously didn't want too, but he _was_ doing it. To Roger, that was progress.

"Ralph?" Jack's voice was quite a ways away. Roger bit, lightly, on Ralph's bottom lip, before moving away, locking his dark eyes, to Ralph's.

"Took your boyfriend long enough to realize you were missing."

"Go—." Ralph whispered, but before he could finish, Roger was pushing against him again, actually pushing, this time, deepening the kiss to the type a gawky teenage boy would give his girlfriend in the back seat of a drive in movie. Ralph kissed him back, putting his hand on the side of Roger's face, angling him differently. His eyes shut, and his pushed back. Roger moaned softly and backed away, looking Ralph in the eyes again.

"Goodbye." Roger said, a strange smile on his face, as he stood, dropped the knife, and ran off. Ralph couldn't be sure if Roger smiled, a genuine smile, or if it was a cocky smirk, but whatever it was, it made him feel different. Still underpowered, but he felt safe for a little while. All he had to do was please Roger to keep living… but how long could he be forced to do that? His heart was already heavy, feeling strange about kissing Roger when he was Jack's.

Ralph stayed, kneeled as he was, facing the tree that had pinned him. He picked up the blade, and ran his finger over it, and his finger began to bleed.

"Ralph? Are you okay?" Jack ran over, now seeing the tanned body in the green. He kneeled down beside him.

Ralph nodded. "Isn't this yours?" He turned and faced Jack, holding the knife out too him.

Jack took it and nodded. "Yeah. Wonder how it got here." Jack grinned and put his arm around Ralph. "You scared me, though. Why didn't you answer when I called?"

"I must have zoned out… sorry." Ralph forced a smile as Jack stood and forced Ralph to his feet.

"I know your worried Ralph, but I don't think you've got to worry. It's a bright new day, and I've got a good feeling about it. Sorta like… like it's been raining for days and days and now it's finally stopped, you know. It feels like the end of the storm."

Ralph smiled, taking comfort in the fact that Jack didn't know what he'd done. How would he react to that? How would anyone react to seeing their lover, and their past lover making out in the trees? Ralph didn't have a past lover, but he knew he'd be furious if he saw Jack and Roger kissing in the trees. And what if Jack was right? What if things got better? There was no need to tell him.

Jack led Ralph down the path, next to him, even though there wasn't enough room. "Let's go get that drink."

----------

Roger knew he had a smug grin on his face, he could feel it, even if he couldn't see it. Why shouldn't he? Ralph opened up a whole new void, just then, in the realm of torture and sadism. If Ralph would willingly kiss him, what else would he _willingly_ do with Roger? What could he stand _unwillingly_?

Roger put his hands on his head, walking comfortably through the tangled mess of vines. The scratches from the random thorns that hung all over their living area didn't bother Roger. He simply dismissed the pain as a minor annoyance and kept walking. His dark eyes, for once, were alive with life.

"Roger!"

The boy turned around slowly, grin still across his lips. He knew the voice, but he still wished it was Ralph, begging for more.

"What is it, Sammy?" Roger grinned.

Sam threw the spear faster than Roger could react, in his smug, lazy mood. It pierced the flesh, on the left side of his chest. It didn't stay, it fell and blood started to come out. Roger looked surprised. "Sammy, what'd you do that for?"

Sam ran and picked up the spear, tackling Roger as he did so. He pinned Roger down, as the sadistic boy was too surprised to fight back, and pushed the spear in the same hole. He gripped the spear in both hands and used his weight to shove it farther, not to kill Roger yet, but to drag out the pain, to drag out the death.

"You stole my brother from me. You stole his heart… and you treat him like…" Sam twisted the spear, and Roger groaned. "You treat him worse than you'd ever treat a pet dog. And still he loves you. And then you go off with other boys… and you do things with _them_ and still, my brother would love you."

"Ralph?" Roger gasped, his hands now on the spear, trying to force it out as Sam pushed it in.

"Yes. Ralph. You brand him and force him to do things with you that you could get willingly from someone else. I hate you, Roger." Roger was gasping for breath, his eyes wide as he made pathetic attempts to push Sam off him with bloody hands. "You deserve a more painful death than this."

Sam's eyes were distant as he pushed the spear the rest of the way down, through the blood and whatever other organ could have been there. He didn't know; he didn't care. He felt Roger stop moving from underneath him, but his rage wouldn't calm down yet. He took the bloody spear out, and stabbed and stabbed the corpse. He stabbed in revenge of his brother; to kill the lover that was unfaithful. He stabbed in jealously; for Roger had the heart that he wanted, even in death. And he stabbed to know what it felt like, to take the life of another; to be solely responsible.

When he had no more reason to stab, he looked down at the blood and flesh, and smiled. There was only one word to describe how he felt: righteous. He stood, took one more look at the boy only one person would miss, and walked to the ocean, to clean off his hands.


	16. I'll take care of it

Author's Note: I know it's been forever. And I'm really _really_ sorry. I just haven't been motivated. That sounds horrible, I know. And I'm sorry. Basically this is the second to last chapter. The last chapter is practically done, but it was too long if I put them together. (11 pages on 10 times new roman) so I cut it into two. The next one will probably be up next week. It'll be even sooner, if I get a lot of reviews.

Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Flies. Sir William Golding, that bastard, thought of the idea first. I just take the boys and make them kiss. XD

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Jack knew something was bothering Ralph, and that's why he was in the bush to begin with, not because he found Jack's knife. The knife was a complete accident. Jack hadn't even told anyone he'd lost it!

Jack looked over at Ralph. He was walking with his head down, concentrating on something far past walking. He looked so worried, and Jack knew there wasn't much he could do to help. Not while Roger was running around. Jack reached out and touched Ralph's hand. Ralph smiled and looked over at Jack as their hands weaved together.

"I swear, Ralph, anything you want to say, I'll listen." Jack's thumb moved over the back of Ralph's hand. "I'll always be here for you."

Ralph smiled, "thank you, Jack." But he didn't say anymore. He didn't go into whatever was bothering him. Jack frowned, feeling worthless.

They got to the stream, but Ralph didn't let go of Jack's hand, and run up for a drink, like Jack through he would. Instead, he held on tighter, staring ahead like there were a thousand Roger's standing in front of them, that Jack couldn't see.

"Ralph—?" Jack reached his hand out, to touch Ralph, but as his hand came closer, Ralph turned and faced Jack.

"What do you think will happen to us?"

Jack grinned and held out his arms, Ralph let go of Jack's hands and hugged him tightly around the stomach. Jack put his arms around Ralph's back and held him. "Well, we'll all be sitting around one day, bored. You'll be about twenty-five, I'll be twenty-six. Then every nuke in the world will explode and we'll die of radiation poisoning from the ones that go off target and come near us."

Ralph laughed. "What a comfort."

Jack laughed with him, glad to hear Ralph's laughter again, and kissed the boy's forehead.

"I meant you and me."

Jack looked confused for a second. "What do you mean, you and me? We'll always be together, won't we?" Jack moved back, looking at Ralph in the face, worried.

"I meant… what if we got rescued… what would happen to us then?" Ralph's eyes showed no hope. It was a completely hypothetical question.

"I would beg you to come to school with me. I mean, sure Roger goes to school with me… but he wouldn't try anything back home. Plus Maurice and Robert and the rest of the choir would be there. I would hate to be away from you for so long… only seeing you when we weren't in school."

Ralph smiled and rested his head on Jack's shoulder, looking up at him.

"And we'd be best friends. It'd be just like it is now."

"But what about your parents? What about the school teachers and everyone?"

"What about them?" Jack rubbed Ralph's back, slowly.

"What… Wouldn't they… You know. People don't just go around Britain hugging like this, Jack." Ralph blushed softly, closing his eyes.

"I don't care. They will when we get back." Jack said, grinning. "It's not their business. It's nobody's business but ours… if they want to make it their business, then let them. It doesn't matter. Nothing they could say would ever change how I felt about you."

Jack felt Ralph's arms go tighter around his waist and he pressed his chest against the other boys, putting his chin on his shoulder, looking past him. And in that second, they were happy.

----------

Maurice stood outside the Chief's cave, failing his arms around, silently, while Robert and the other boys snickered behind him. "Just go in, Maurice."

"If he and Ralph aren't out yet, I don't want to walk in on them doing things…" Maurice stopped flailing, but he moved his head closer, to see if he could hear anything.

"I don't hear anything."

"But I'm sure they'd be quiet." Robert added, quietly.

"Why would they be quiet… you think you'd be able to hear one of them screaming a mile away." Maurice grinned and looked back at the boys, who giggled profusely, except Robert who blushed at some inside joke the other boys were unaware of.

Maurice started to hyperventilate himself, closing his eyes, bringing his hands up to his face to hold his hair back, seductively, out of the way. "Jack, Jack." He moaned, falling to his knees as the boys howled with laughter.

Suddenly, they saw the leaves start to move and Maurice looked up, expecting to see the red head to emerge and strangle him again, but instead, out walked Sam.

Sam looked different. His body glistened with water that hadn't dried yet, his hair wet and pushed back behind his eyes. Everything about him seemed like it was washed away.

"Oh, Sammy." Maurice said, sighing with relief. "How've you be—"

"Don't call me Sammy." Sam frowned as he walked past the group of boys, and into the hut, with his brother.

"Hmm." Maurice said, slowly, but not thinking much of it.

"Well go see if Jack's awake. I don't know what I'm supposed to do." Bill said.

"But what if him and Ralph are mid-snog? I don't want to be strangled again." Maurice exclaimed, putting his hands to his throat and choking himself.

The boys laughed again, but something was different. They realized Jack was violent, regardless of the lover. Ralph hadn't _changed_ Jack. He merely suppressed the beast. But the beast was still in there, waiting for something to strike out at.

Maurice suddenly got bored with strangling himself and sat down. Many of the boys followed his example. "So, what's going through your mind, boys? How are you feeling?"

Most of them shrugged but Robert spoke up. "I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Roger."

Maurice laughed, but the rest of the boys were silent. "There's no reason to fear Roger. You're not Ralph."

The words were true, but it wasn't much of a comfort to most of the boys.

"Roger only likes people he can manipulate. Well, really, isn't it the same for all of us? You think Sammy would be _my_ boyfriend? No. Because what he says won't affect me." Maurice knew Sam was listening. "I don't care what anyone says, outside the Chief and Robert."

Robert blushed, from being included.

"'Sides. Sammy loves someone els—"

Suddenly a rock smashed against the cave, next to Maurice and his eyes grew wide. Sam stood, in a defense possession outside the hut. "Shut up. You don't know anything. You don't understand."

The boys were quiet. Sam picked up another rock. "You don't know what it's like to have someone all your life… and then just _abandon_ you one day for an asshole who beats the living shit out of him. You don't understand." He threw the rock, missing again, but Maurice knew he missed on purpose. "So don't talk about what you can't understand."

In a second, Sam was in the hut again, leaving the boys stunned in front of Jack's cave.

"What's with the gathering?" Jack asked, grinning, his hand snaked around Ralph's waist. "You forget to invite your Chief to the party?"

They all shook their heads, and Jack knew something was wrong. Ralph felt it had to do with Roger, but really, what didn't have to do with Roger these days?

----------

"Eric, Eric, my darling brother." Sam wasn't really sure if Eric was asleep or not, but he honestly didn't care. "You're free now. Free like a bird." Sam dropped to his knees and ran his fingers over his brother's chest.

"What are you doing?" Eric asked, dryly.

"I'm starting our new life together." Sam said, grinning. Eric had an obvious look of confusion on his face. "Don't worry, Eric. It'll all make sense soon." Sam giggled and curled up in the corner, closing his eyes, drifting to sleep.

---------

"What happened?" Jack demanded, staring at Maurice. Maurice avoided eye contact. He didn't want to say. It wasn't fair of Jack to ask, and Maurice didn't feel like it was his place to say, anyway. After all, he didn't understand.

"Sam…" Bill started out.

"I don't understand." Maurice said slowly. "And neither do you."

Jack was taken back, and he looked at Ralph, who shrugged. Not one boy on the island knew everything that was going on. Only Ralph and Roger knew of their escapade, only Maurice knew where Robert's ticklish spot was, and only Jack knew about the weird dream he had last night.

And in that dream, a small-ish boy chased him and fought with him, until he finally tackled him, and started to slowly, painfully torture him to death. And at the second, he was saved by Eric, of all people, as he ran up screaming. "They're here!"

But Jack was sure his dream was irrelevant.

A ping of guilt went through everybody, at the secrets they'd kept from each other. They were guilty, yes, but still had no intentions of telling one another. To feel better in their own insecurities, many of the boys got closer. Robert was sitting between Maurice's legs, with Maurice's arms wrapped over his shoulders. Jack had pulled Ralph by the barely existing anymore belt loop on his practically ruined shorts, making the blonde boy closer.

And in the tent, Sam subconsciously reached out, and touched Eric's hand.

The silence dragged on, long and awkward. Every boy wanted to break it, but nobody knew how. It wasn't until the group outside saw Eric walk out of the hut, for the first time in what seemed like forever, rubbing his wrists and stretching like he'd woken up from a long nap. Needless to say, many of the boys gawked at him.

Eric just smiled. It was a new day for him. He was going to go find Roger, and beg him to kiss him; beg him to beat him. He just needed to be held. "Hey guys."

The hunters all looked at other members of their own group, before looking back at Eric. It was Ralph who replied, after breaking away from Jack's steal grip he had on his waist, that he walked up to Eric and said, "Hey, how you feeling?"

Eric watched Ralph approach, his eyes, again on the scar. That damned scar. When Ralph stopped in front of him, Eric brought out one of his hands, and ran his finger over it. Ralph winced, but didn't move away, even though he knew the rest of the hunters were watching the two boys.

"Sorry about that." Eric whispered, but every boy heard it. "I know Roger can be… mean." Eric grabbed Ralph's hand, and put the other boys hand over Eric's chest, his whole torso seemed to be a giant wound. "But that's how he shows affection. Don't be mad at him."

Eric smiled, dropped Ralph's hand and walked off into the woods.

Ralph hardly had time to let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding before he felt Jack press up against him from behind, his hands wrapped around Ralph's stomach and his chin on Ralph's shoulder.

"That's love." The boys heard Bill say. "Staying with someone who beats you… Eric must really love Roger."

Henry shrugged. "He's like a beaten wife. It's not healthy for someone to be that submissive."

Unknown to the hunters, Jack was biting lightly at Ralph's shoulder. But the biting soon got harder, and was followed by kisses and licks. Ralph melted into Jack's touch.

"Love."

"Love is not taking a beating, Bill!"

Ralph groaned quietly, leaning his head to the side so Jack had better access to his neck. "C'mere." Ralph said, before he lost all control, and he grabbed Jack's hand and began to force him into the woods, toward the mountain that the Beast had been on. However, they hardly got a quarter of the way there, before Ralph shoved Jack against a tree, and forcefully pressed his lips to the others.

Bill frowned, folding his arms. "Yeah? Well I bet you Ralph would stick with Jack if Jack did what Roger did to Eric…"

Henry shook his head. "He wouldn't because Jack _loves_ Ralph. You don't beat someone you love."

"Oh, God. Ralph…" Jack gasped, tilting his head back, as Ralph made similar bites and kisses to Jack's neck. Jack forced Ralph's head up, and soon the two were joined at the mouth, tongue's fighting for dominance. Ralph pulled away, just as Jack was starting to enjoy himself, causing the other boy to growl, and Ralph bit again, on Jack's shoulder, only this time, he caused him to bleed.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Ralph licked at the blood, Jack's eyes closed, panting heavily, and tilting his head back. His hands were tangled in the blonde mess that Ralph called hair, keeping the boy close to the bleeding wound. Ralph's tongue toyed with the flesh, trying to work more blood out.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"ROGER!" Eric's voice cut through the forest.

The whole forest stood still with the new voice. Ralph pulled away from Jack, grabbing the boy's hand as Jack took off running. Jack gripped Ralph's hand tighter as he ran past his partner, but keeping him close, afraid of a potential ambush.

When he jumped into the clearing, he realized he was unarmed. He growled. Why was he always walking around unarmed, lately? However, when he looked down, at Eric's bloody body, he realized he wasn't going to need a spear anymore.

Eric was sobbing and smacking a bloody… something. This was even bloodier than when Sam had brought back Eric after Roger had gotten a hold of him. The amount of blood was only equal to the amount that had been spilled on Simon's cut up body, or Piggy's mashed in skull. This was a dead human body.

This was Roger.

Jack fell to his knees, as Eric stopped smacking Roger across the face. "Wake up! Roger, please wake up!" But Eric knew that it was hopeless. He sprawled out across Roger's bare and bloody chest, sobbing like he'd just heard the worse news of his life.

Jack looked into Roger's lifeless eyes as he brushed a strand of hair from dead boy's face. The body cold already and the thought of Roger so cold choked Jack up. For a second, Jack forgot about what Roger had done to him, from the constant attention seeking to trying to attack Ralph, all Jack wanted was for his friend to be alive, and be by his side again.

Roger had always been there. Roger had saved Jack so many times, Jack hardly knew where he would be without him. He wouldn't be on this island, he wouldn't be sitting here; he wouldn't be alive.

Jack knew that he'd had some close calls in life. From random accidents of almost falling, and being snatched out of the air by Roger at the last second, to that one time last summer when Jack mistook Vicodin for Tylenol and took too many of them, and Roger called the hospital when he found Jack unconscious a few minutes later.

He'd be dead, if it weren't for the bloody corpse in front of him.

Jack took Roger's hand in his, and he felt like crying. It wasn't fair. He was just a boy; he was only twelve years old. Why did nature… or god… or whatever was up there take Roger away from him at such a young age?

It wasn't until he saw Ralph sit down beside him, with silent tears streaming down his face, that he realized what Roger had done in his short little life time. He was responsible, souly, for one murder, and one of the attackers at another. He'd forced two boys into… god knows what, and who knew if there were more boys, who just didn't want to talk about it. He'd also tortured at least half a dozen kids, just to watch them squirm. He was a monster. A monster that was better off dead. Jack reached up and brushed away Ralph's tears as Ralph looked at him.

How could he? How could Ralph cry over the dead body of someone who tied him to a tree, cut a hole in his chest, and force him to do things with him?

Ralph knew it was more, even if Jack didn't. Jack didn't know about that time that they kissed. It wasn't love, it wasn't even lust. It was forced. And Ralph knew that Roger only wanted to be accepted. He only wanted Jack. And he never could get what he wanted, he was dead now.

Ralph saw pity in Roger that nobody else could see, because he knew what it was like, to be on the outside looking in. He'd spent a long enough time alone on the island. But Roger, Roger had to deal with being alone all the time, around his friends and family. A little sadist wouldn't be accepted in normal society.

"Who?" Was all Ralph could say, causing Jack and Eric too look over at him.

Neither boy knew. It was obvious it wasn't any of those three, and who else was there to hate Roger besides the beat on current lover, the murdered's ex-lover/wildest fantasy, and the rape victim?

Suddenly it dawned on all of them. The jealous person who loved Roger's current lover. "Sam." They all muttered quietly, and had another moment of silence, looking down at Roger.

It was Jack who stood up first, unable to take the sight of his ex-best friend's mangled body anymore, and the sound of his boyfriend and Eric crying next to him. He knew, being a chief, what he had to do. Sam had to be punished. But what could he do? He couldn't just take Sam away from Eric, either. It wouldn't be fair, and it wasn't his place.

Ralph stood up and hugged Jack's arm tightly. Jack, so use to the affection now, didn't even look up, let alone blush.

"Wh… What are we going to do, Chief?" Eric said, quietly, looking up as he held Roger's hand tightly, like he would wake up and squeeze his hand back, reassuringly at any second.

Jack sighed. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

Eric wiped his tears on the back of his hand, drying off his face, trying to seem like a grown-up, and not a child. "What's fair is fair. Roger got what came to him, for killing Piggy, so it's only fair Sam gets what's coming to him."

Ralph made a pained noise, obviously against killing anyone, and Jack looked mildly surprised. "A-are you sure, Eric? There could be another way…"

"No. It's the only way. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, Jack. Sam deserves it."

"And what of us?" Ralph spoke quietly, burying his face into the nape of Jack's neck as Jack wrapped his strong arms around the blonde boy. "Then someone will just kill us for killing Sam."

Eric smiled, causing the other two boys to shiver. The look of longing, hopefulness, and sadism that was in his eyes looked way too similar to Roger's.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

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I'm sorry again. Remember: I love reviews.


	17. Eric's Plan

Author's note: This IS the last chapter. I'm next to positive that I won't have an epiloge or a sequal to this. If anyone actually cares, I've started a new story with the boys in school after the island, but Roger is alive and it has nothing to do with this fic at all. I stopped writing it, but if you want, I'll totally finish and put it up.

Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own anything!

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Eric smiled as the tears ran down his face again. He was so happy. He clenched the spear tighter in his hands. Sweet Salvation. He felt like jumping around and praising god. How could life be _this_ wonderful? He was going to get to kill that son-of-a-bitch that he called a brother, and then he was going to join Roger.

No bad Karma to anybody else, either. You're welcome.

Jack and Ralph would stay guilt free that they didn't kill either Roger, or Sam, and they could live out their lives on the island until they ran out of food and starved to death or got rescued and lived out their life in some quaint little house after adopting some Chinese baby, since they couldn't have one themselves.

And Maurice would be singing and dancing on Broadway (because he always had to be the star), and Robert would be his director/gay lover.

And everything would be great. Nothing bad would happen to anyone else on the island, ever. All he had to do was get rid of two more people. Just two.

Or is it one? They _were_ twins after all.

Eric whipped the tears that had fallen off again. He was smiling, but he couldn't stop crying. Why couldn't he stop crying?

_I'll be home, soon, Roger. Sorry to keep you waiting._

----------

"You know what he's going to do." Ralph said as he kicked his feet in the stream, avoiding his boyfriend's gaze as he confronted him.

"I can't stop him." Jack replied as he rubbed Ralph's shoulders. Jack realized a little while ago that to win a fight with Ralph, all you needed to do was to give his body constant stimulation. He'd be purring putty in his hands before long.

"You could—Oh God, Jack—too. He respects you, you know." Ralph's shoulders pressed up into Jack's hands. Jack smirked lightly.

"Not unless I tied him down. And he's right. Sam needs to be punished." He sat down behind Ralph, sitting on his feet with his knees in front of him. He put one hand around Ralph's stomach and pulled him closer, between his legs. "Besides, he won't kill his own brother." He whispered into Ralph's ear, like he was trying to seduce him.

Ralph frowned. How did Jack now Eric wouldn't kill his own brother. If Ralph had a brother, and his brother killed Jack, he'd kill his brother in a heart beat. "Why do you think Eric's so happy?"

Jack stayed quiet, busing himself by leaning over and kissing over Ralph's bare shoulder from behind. _Please don't let him ask me again…_ Jack thought.

"Jack?" Ralph turned his head to look at the red-head.

Jack ran his hands over Ralph's bare stomach, still stimulating the boy as he spoke… "When… When people are… Right before they…" He searched for words. "When my uncle… killed himself… he was always really depressed, until one day. One day, he just got really happy. I remember. He bought me a new toy and gave his sister, my mother, flowers, and bought my father a knife." He ran one of his fingers affectionately over his hunting knife. _"My_ knife. And my mum found him the next day dead in his bed…"

Ralph froze under Jack, as Jack's hands went tighter around his stomach, holding him down, as Ralph tried to break away and stand up. "Jack, we gotta do something."

"There's nothing we can do, now. Eric's made up his mind. He won't change it." Jack said, putting his forehead on Ralph's shoulder. "Please, just stay with me. Just stay here."

Ralph slowed his struggles until he sat, hunched over, staring at his hands in the warm water. He nodded, and felt the tears come again.

----------

Eric marched into camp, spear ready. As soon as he found his brother, it would be show time. The final act in the last repeat this play was ever going to do. Almost time for curtain call. Eric felt giggly again.

He found it sort of weird that there was nobody in camp. He knew Jack wouldn't follow, because Jack knew everything. Jack wanted to protect Ralph from this, and he wasn't going to try and stop him. Good thing, too. It would be in vain.

But _where_ was that annoying brother of his?

Ah yes, the hut.

Eric took another moment to giggle to himself. Wasn't that hut made by the hunters for a fourteenth year present to Jack? Why were he and Sam always hanging out in it, then? Oh well. It didn't matter. Neither boy would be around long enough to hang out in it ever again.

Eric snuck, and he was good at sneaking, to the side of the hut. He heard the soft breathing of his brother from the inside, and smiled. Roger would have (probably not) been so proud to see that Eric was sneaking around like a real hunter. Wasn't that what Roger always wanted? For Eric to be a _real_ hunter and to die in the end?

Well, Roger didn't have to worry. He was getting both of those things soon.

He turned around the doorway quickly, like he had a gun and was storming the hut for terrorists. He giggled again, but put his hand over his mouth to quiet himself. Once he gained his composure again, he held his weapon in front of him, waiting for the very perfect second to bring the sharpened at both ends stick down on his brother.

A few seconds went by, then a minute. He felt his nerve leave him until a voice, a memory, sounding just like Roger, surfaced. _"My blood as your mask, we switch places today."_

Eric looked down at himself, and true enough: he was covered in Roger's blood. Eric grinned. He could do this. He could be the new Roger, and put this stupid boy out of his misery. He walked closer, his arms raised as he looked down at his sleeping brother. He almost looked like an angel… almost. "See you in Hell." He muttered, before slamming the spear down on the sleeping frame, once, and running out, leaving the spear there.

It was time for phase two.

----------

Ralph and Jack sat in silence, Ralph between Jack's legs, leaning back into his lover's chest. It would be comforting, if it wasn't like they were in a hospital, waiting for inevitable bad news. Who would it be? Ralph wondered. Who would be the one to walk up to them and say the found Samneric's dead bodies lying huddled over one another.

Jack's arms were comforting. They were strong, and warm. It felt so safe. Ralph cuddled into Jack's chest. They could see the sun setting over the trees, if they'd looked, but both boys avoided it. Ralph had his eyes closed, and Jack had his eyes on Ralph; his little blonde angel.

How much longer? Jack asked himself. When will it be safe for us to go back up?

He heard something in the distance. It was probably a random littlun or Maurice and Robert playing a very loud game of hide and go make out; the couple's favorite game. He sighed, and heard the crashing come closer. This had to be it; this had to be the one who found Samneric dead.

"Wake up, Ralphie. Someone's coming." Jack said quietly as he stood up and pulled Ralph to his feet with him. Ralph, with half closed eyes, leaned on Jack for support as they faced the woods behind them, waiting for the scared littlun or pale faced bigun to tell them the news.

But what they saw was neither.

Instead, out stumbled a sick looking Sam, with a gaping hole in his stomach. It was bleeding, though it seemed to have missed every major organ located in that region. He was only slightly stumbling, and that was probably only from the blood loss, but damn, did he look pissed.

"_You."_ He sneered, as Jack moved Ralph, so the blonde boy was behind him. "This is all _your_ fault, Merridew." Sam moved closer, holding his stomach as blood dribbled from the wound.

"If you were a decent chief at all, you wouldn't have sent Roger after Eric. You'd have just let us leave in peace. But no…" His words stung like venom in Jack. Ralph could feel the red-head shaking. "You had to sick your sadistic little lap dog on my poor brother, so you could get your stupid little boyfriend…" He looked at Ralph, who pushed his chest farther into Jack, to hide himself, "and look what's happened now." He motioned to his stomach.

"How's that my fault?" Jack asked, trying to sound tough, even though he seemed to be shaking off the Richter scale.

"Eric did it, stupid." Sam spat. "Where do you think Eric learned it was okay to try and kill people?"

"From you. You were the one who killed Roger." Ralph spoke quietly. It froze both Jack and Sam.

"I'll kill you." Sam narrowed his eyes, advancing toward the boys. "I'll fucking kill you."

----------

Eric smiled. Half the deed was done. He'd killed his brother. Now all that was left was for the other half to die. He jogged lightly through the woods; there wasn't a real reason to hurry. He'd be with Roger soon enough.

His feet carried him to the mountain. It seemed appropriate, to do it up there. Not only was it the highest point on the island, and would be the most painful (and likely to die) if someone jumped off, it also was where the beast had been. He'd be a sacrifice to the beast, so the beast would leave Jack and Ralph alone.

He stopped running when he got to the top. It wasn't very big up there. He remembered once when he and Sam came up there. It was before Simon had died. He remembered being so sacred, that the two of them ran down the mountain and collapsed into each other.

Back when they were _real_ brothers and didn't kill people who made them jealous.

Eric smiled and closed his eyes. The wind was whipping through his hair, making the leaves around his feet dance playfully. It was so peaceful; the perfect day to die.

He thought he heard something, a low hum, so he opened his eyes. Nobody was around him. _Weird,_ he thought. He looked over the edge. If the water alone wasn't enough to kill him, smacking his light body against an unbroken surface, the jagged cliffs at the bottom were.

Alright… here he went. He took a few steps back. He wanted a running start… He closed his eyes, ready to run and make his jump. He started to run, however, he heard it again. That low noise, so he stopped running and looked out to sea, what _was_ it which _dared_ to interrupt his perfect suicide.

And there he saw it, clear as day, a ship… and it was coming this way.

"Jack!" He yelled, eyes wide, as he turned around and started running, to find his chief.

----------

"You don't mean it, Sam." Jack said, holding up his hands, showing he had nothing, but was creating a human shield for Ralph. "We didn't do anything. You don't want to kill us."

Sam staggered closer. "Oh yes I do. It's not fair. My brother won't have me, and it's all your fault, Jack. And I'm _sure_ you had something to do with it too, Ralphie."

Ralph cringed slightly, not wanting to be here. He bitterly thought that if Eric were going to kill people, he should keep stabbing until he was sure they were dead.

He thought he'd heard something; a low rumble. But at that moment, Sam jumped at Jack, and Jack threw Ralph out of the way. Ralph tripped, and fell down, facing the boys, and watched as Sam tackled Jack, and began to expertly pin him down. Jack struggled, but seemed unable to turn Sam over.

"Don't teach your subordinates all your tricks, Jackie. They'll use it against you in a coup." Sam's fingers dug into Jack's wrists the only part of his body that his hands were touching, and Jack howled in pain, as he kicked, but his legs were useless, where they were.

Jack closed his eyes. He had to fight. He couldn't just leave Ralph there…. Ralph!

Suddenly, Jack opened his eyes and saw Ralph pull Sam back, by the shoulder, and punch him. Jack couldn't help but grin as Sam rolled off Jack, flexing his jaw in surprise.

"Nice punch, Ralph." Jack grinned as he stood up and brushed himself off.

"Nice distraction, Jack." Ralph said, sticking out his tongue at his boyfriend. Jack grinned wider.

"Don't!" Sam said, standing up. "Don't you dare use me as an excuse to flirt!" Suddenly, Sam was on Jack again, throwing a punch. Enough to make him stagger back a step or two, but not enough to fall. The other boy'd lost too much blood.

"Sam settle down. You're gunna die if you don't get that wrapped up." Ralph said, as Jack rubbed his jaw with a pout on his face.

Sam just growled, and went to punch Jack again. This time, Jack stepped to the side, grabbed Sam's wrist, and practically threw him to the ground.

"Jack! Jack!" Before Jack could get on Sam and beat the ever-loving snot out of him, he heard his name being called, along with a low rumble. Damn, that sound was annoying.

"Jack, they're here!" Suddenly Eric busted through the forest, holding his arms out. Ralph ran at him and hugged him happily.

"We thought you'd died!" Ralph said. Jack put his hand over his face. Did that boy have tact at all?

"Oh… er… about that." Eric rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, Sam."

Sam just shook his head, holding his stomach, in too much pain to talk.

After a few seconds of silence, Ralph walked over to Jack and draped his arm over his shoulder. "So… whose here?"

"Oh!" Eric said, getting excited again. "The people! There's a boat coming! Come see!" Eric ran over to his brother, and helped him to his feet, and put his arm over his waist, holding him up. Sam draped his arm over Eric's shoulder, smiling slightly, at the return of his brother.

Together, slowly, the four of them made their way to the mountain, and saw the ship, bigger now, come sailing toward them.

Ralph, in his excitement, tried to remember where the conch was, so he could call an assembly. Jack just laughed, gave him Piggy's glasses, and Ralph set a huge fire, so the ship was sure not to miss it.

The boys on the island didn't and soon, every kid that had been stranded on the island, (minus Roger, Piggy, Simon and the kid with the mulberry birthmark) were up at the mountain, dancing around the fire one last time.

Jack raised his arms, as the ship was almost ready to come ashore, and the kids fell silent. "Hunters!" The crowd went wild, even Ralph, standing up to Jack's left, was clapping and whistling. "This is our final day on the island." More explosive cheers from the crowd.

"And it was fun. We hunted pigs, we got tans, we made friends…" He looked over at Ralph, who smiled gorgeously at him. "But all good things come to an end. And I would just like to ask you…" He suddenly grew very serious. "What happened to Simon, Piggy, Roger and the kid with the mulberry birthmark?"

Everyone went silent, and bowed their heads. "That's right." Jack answered. "We don't know what happened to them. They went _missing._" The kids nodded enthusiastically. They all had a lie now. Something way safer than the truth.

"You're dismissed!" Jack called, and the boys ran off down the mountain, to where the British Navy was waiting to take them home. Ralph started to walk off, too, but Jack grabbed his arm and spun him around, so he was facing him. As soon as Ralph was facing Jack, Jack took Ralph's head in his hands gently, and kissed him.

Ralph put his hands around Jack's waist, and pulled him closer, closing his eyes tightly, as they kissed like their lives depended on it.

Too soon, the kiss was over and Jack was looking into Ralph's eyes, like he was lost.

"Ralph?" Jack muttered quietly.

"Yeah?"

"I'll always love you. No matter what… okay?" Jack put his forehead on Ralph's shoulder and hugged the boy tightly. Ralph hugged him back.

"I know. I'll love you too."

"You know… when you asked if anything would change if we got rescued?"

Ralph nodded.

"Nothing will change. Nothing will ever change. We'll be together until we die."

Ralph smiled at Jack, and ran his fingers through his red hair. "I know, Jack. Together always."

Jack smiled and lifted his head and stepped away from the boy. "So you'll go to school with me?"

Ralph laughed and grabbed Jack's hand, pulling him down the mountain, to where the boat was. "Yes, I will."

"And you'll go to prom with me?"

Ralph gave Jack a funny look, "I guess so…"

"And you'll marry me?" Jack smiled, looking hopeful.

"Aren't you jumping the gun a little bit?" Ralph said.

Both boys laughed, as they walked to the beach, away from the love, hate and jealousy the island had shown them, and hoped with all their might, that the grown-up world wouldn't be as bad as the island had been. But deep down, they both knew it would be.

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The End. I hoped you like it. It's been a wild journey. Thank you so much for the reviews. I've loved each and every one of them, and will continue to love them until you refuse to send them anymore. Check out my other stories, if you want, I guess. And… tell me if you think I should do something else, now that I have nothing left of this to do.


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